Summer Rose
by natalayx
Summary: When Edward is on his summer leave from the Military, Bella finds out she's pregnant, the day before he's due to deploy back. When something goes wrong on a raid, Bella is left scared and anxious; wondering if Edward will make it home to meet their Summer Rose.
1. Prologue

**Hey, hi! Yes, I'm back!**

**I know it's been like three years, but I was in a serious rut and lost my mojo hardcore. But I'm happy to be writing again!**

**This fic was inspired by the one and only Packy! (Packy 2.0 on here) she found a photo of a military man cradling a baby girl in his arms and wanted it turned into a fic.**

**So, here I am!**

**summary: When Edward is on his summer leave from the Military, Bella finds out she's pregnant; the day before he's due to deploy back. When something goes wrong on a raid, Bella is left scared and anxious; wondering if Edward will make it home to meet their Summer Rose.**

* * *

Prologue 

_If this is to end in fire_

_Then we should all burn together_

_Watch the flames climb high into the night_

_ I See Fire - Ed Sheeran _

-x-

**EPOV**

"And what about Bella and your kid?" He spits back.

"I can't leave you, man. Bella would kill me."

I smile at the thought of my Bella unleashing her wrath onto him. She's a feisty one sometimes. "Tell her... Tell her I love her, so fucking much."

"Tell her yourself," he retorts back angrily.

"Em," I grab his arm as I cough up a storm, blood spurting across his chest. "I can't."

"Don't you fucking dare give up, Edward Masen!" He shouts, his hands fluttering all over my body as though he's looking for something. He shoves his hand in one of my back pockets and pulls out an image, holding it up in front of me. It's the photo Rosalie sent me in an email earlier today. I choke back a sob as Emmett thrusts the picture into my hand, while clutching onto my collar with his free hand. "You fight for Bella and your baby girl she's carrying." Tears fall freely down his face shamelessly and the tone of his voice becomes hysterical. "You fight for your family, goddamnit!"

I place my hand on top of his as he clutches my collar tighter, squeezing it lightly. I bring the picture to my lips, kissing it softly before closing my eyes and whispering, "I love you, man."

Emmett's voice begins to sound like it's coming through a tunnel, and then all I see is black.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it!**

**The photo was made into a manip by my good friend Caitee and put in a banner that you can find over on my blog: natalayxfanfic .tumblr .com (remove the spaces)**

**- nat x**


	2. Chapter 1

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot.**

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

******I have a habit of tweaking so a**ll mistakes are mine.

* * *

Chapter One

_I was standing_

_You were there _

_Two worlds collided _

_And they could never tear us apart _

**_Never Tear Us Apart - INXS _**

-x-

**EPOV**

I met Emmett at a college fair my high school was attending. He was in his second year of college, majoring in becoming a certified personal trainer. He was just as big of a baboon back then as he is today.

He said as soon as he saw me, I looked a little lost and reminded him of his little brother, Seth, and he felt this need to look out for me. He took me under his wing, showing me around campus, pointing out which coffee stalls to go to, which ones to avoid; the location of the library and the sport field, walking me through the route of the short cuts to certain wings of the campus.

When the time came to leave, he gave me his email and cell number, telling me to keep in touch and to contact him anytime if I had any questions about college. After that day, my decision about which college to attend was much easier.

He was at the front doors of my dormitory on my first day to help me get settled in. He invited me out to a "first day of freedom" dinner, as well as having a certain conversation that we'd already had, with his siblings that night.

That's how I met Bella.

She took my breath away from the first moment I saw her.

She stands as Emmett and I approach the table, her eyes roaming my body, mine doing the same. She's wearing a caramel, spotty deep v-neck cocktail dress, which falls to her mid-thigh. Her hair is pulled mostly over her left shoulder and it's styled in that casual, messy way, but done perfectly so it still looks classy.

When our eyes finally meet, her cheeks turn a light shade of pink and her mouth curves up into a soft smile. I return the gesture, before looking over at Seth and giving him a nod in greeting. I've already met him and their other sister Leah a few times when Emmett invited me over to hang out, but Bella never seemed to be around.

As they both clear their throats, breaking Bella and me out of our staring contest, I start to wonder whether they both kept her away deliberately.

"Ed, this is Bella," says Emmett, gesturing to her. "Bella, Edward."

"Hey-" "Nice to finally meet you." We reply simultaneously, causing Bella to giggle softly.

"Shall we?" She says, looking towards the table.

I rush forward, pulling out her chair for her - as my father always taught me to do - Bella murmurs a "thanks" and smiles sheepishly.

I glance at Seth to see his brow raised, looking at me quizzically, and Emmett who is shaking his head with an amused smirk on his face.

"Where's Leah?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"She's having dinner with Jake." Seth replies, rolling his eyes.

"Do you know Jake?" Bella asks, curiously.

"I know of him," I respond, shrugging. "Haven't met him, though."

"Good to know I'm not the only one you haven't met yet." She says, smirking at me.

"Hey, it's not our fault you were always off gallivanting around with Alice and Jasper." Emmett retorts.

Bella rolls her eyes. "Jazzy wasn't always with us."

"You're calling him Jazzy now?" Emmett snorts. "Do you carry his balls around in a little purse too?"

I feel a sudden moment of disappointment and jealousy over this 'Jazzy' I've never met before.

"Who's Alice and Jazzy?" I ask, curiously.

"My best friend and her boyfriend," Bella says flippantly, propping her hand up under her chin. She grabs a breadstick with her free hand and looks back over to Emmett. "And I don't have his balls in a purse," she continues, pointing the breadstick at him. "Ali does. I just call him that to mess with him."

Seth laughs heartily, snapping a breadstick in half and throwing a piece at Bella. Emmett is shaking his head in amusement, his mouth curved up into a half smile. I laugh along with them, the huge grin that lights up Bella's whole face and her eyes shining with mirth making the mood infectious.

The waitress comes over and we order our food and drinks for the evening. We chat while we're waiting for the meals, getting to know each other. I already know Seth is into cars and majoring in automotive mechanics. But I find out Bella loves kids and helping people, so she is majoring in psychology and sociology to become a social worker or child therapist. According to Seth, she was a major nerd in high school and graduated as valedictorian, which is how she got a scholarship to Emmett's college… my college. I can't help but smile knowing we're going to be around each other a lot more than I originally thought.

"So what are your plans for the future, Edward?" Asks Bella.

"I want to be a pediatrician."

"Oy, watch out," Emmett chuckles. "Anything to do with kids and Bells turns into a pile of goo."

Bella swats at Emmett, cheeks blazing. "I do not." She mutters.

"So you're still going pre-med?" Seth asks, continuing the conversation.

"Yeah."

"What are you majoring in?" Asks Bella.

"Biochemistry and Genetics."

"Good on ya, man." says Emmett, smiling proudly.

"So Em, what's with your buzz cut?" Seth asks comically, quirking his brow.

Uh-oh. Looks like we're having that discussion sooner than Emmett intended. Emmett glances at me quickly, silently telling me not to say anything. A few weeks ago we were hanging out in his dorm room and I saw a brochure for the U.S. military on his dining table. He told me all about how he was approached by a recruiter, had a few meetings with past veterans and decided to join the Army.

"Uh, you know..." Emmett runs his hand over his head and rubs the back of his neck. "Just wanted a change."

Bella looks him over, bringing her glass to her lips and taking a sip of her water. "Has Rose seen it?"

"Yeah, she loved your curls." Seth jokes, batting his eyelashes.

"Aw. Now she's got nothing to hold on to," says Bella, waggling her eyebrows at him and laughing.

Seth groans in disgust. "Gross."

A tall, stocky man with his hair buzzed like Emmett's approaches our table. "Good evening, Private Swan. How are you?"

Emmett's eyes widen in shock and he stands abruptly, shaking the man's hand. "Good evening, Sergeant Denali. I'm well, thank you. How are you?" He asks politely.

"I'm well. Are you looking forward to starting Basic Combat Training next week?" He asks, smirking.

Bella's hand flies to her mouth. "Basic Combat Training?" She asks, the colour draining from her face.

Emmett looks back and forth between the three of us. "Uh..."

"Oh." Says the Sergeant. "You haven't told them?"

"No." Murmurs Emmett.

"My apologies," Sergeant Denali says sincerely, clapping Emmett on the shoulder. "I'll leave you to the rest of your evening."

"Well, that explains your hair cut." Seth says bluntly, his tone of voice carrying a cold undertone.

"When were you planning on telling us?" Bella whispers sadly, her eyes welling with tears.

Emmett sits down slowly, scooting his chair closer to her. "I was going to tell you tonight, Bells." He says, taking her hand in his. "He just beat me to it."

She shakes her head, removing her hand from his. "But you start training next week."

"You should have told us as soon as you decided." Snaps Seth.

We all look to Bella when we hear her sharp intake of breath. "Does Rosalie know?" She asks horrified.

"Of course she knows," Seth spits angrily. "He wouldn't keep it from her."

"Calm down, Seth." I retort. "It's his decision."

"You knew?" He asks disbelievingly, standing abruptly causing his chair to screech against the floor.

I nod in confirmation. "I saw a brochure in his dorm room."

He points his finger at me, his eyes blazing with anger. "You should have told us."

"I hadn't even met Bella until tonight and you suggest I should have told her her brother is joining the army?" I retort angrily. "It wasn't my place to say anything."

"Seth, Edward is right." Bella says quietly.

Seth laughs manically, shaking his head. "Of course you agree with him."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bella asks incredulously, standing as well.

"You need to reign yourself in, bro." Emmett warns.

"Whatever." Seth mutters before walking away.

Emmett cusses, looking back and forth between where his brother left and where Bella still stands. Bella nods her head in the direction of the exit, telling him to go after Seth. Emmett kisses Bella on the forehead and tells her they'll talk later before putting the money in the bill and walking away.

Bella lets out a shaky breath, her arms crossed against her chest, rubbing them soothingly. "Well, that was fun." She murmurs.

I take my jacket off and drape it around her shoulders. "Come on," I say, leading her out of the restaurant.

That night was the start of a friendship that quickly turned into a beautiful romance.

-x-

The night I tell Bella I'm leaving school to join Emmett in the army, we are approaching our third year of college and just had our three year anniversary a few weeks ago. The conversation goes along the same lines as the night we first met.

I take her out to dinner and a movie; it's a beautiful, warm night.

We are walking along the beach when I tell her. She stands in silence, staring at me in shock until what I've said finally kicks in. Tears pool in her eyes, and she starts hitting me and screaming at me.

I grab her by the wrists to stop her from hitting me. "Baby, stop."

She continues to try and pull away. "No!" She sobs, tears streaming down her face. "How could you do this?! You know how hard it was for me to watch Emmett leave and now you," her voice breaks and she chokes back a sob, "you decide to join him?!"

"I know baby, but look at him now," I pull her closer, entwining her hands with mine. "He's doing so much good over there. He's fine."

"That doesn't make it okay!" She exclaims, her voice becoming hysterical. "He could get blown up any minute!"

I cup her face in my hands and she places her hands on top of mine. "What happened to becoming a pediatrician and helping sick kids?" She whispers sadly.

I rest my forehead against hers. "I have to do this." I murmur against her lips before kissing her softly.

She kisses me back fiercely, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me tight against her. So tight, it's like she's trying to climb inside of my body so she can come with me and we'll never have to part. When we break our embrace, I brush her hair out of her face and kiss her tenderly on the nose.

We sit down on the sand and Bella rests her head on my shoulder, her legs lying on top of mine. I automatically entwine her hand with mine and rest it on her raised knees. I feel the wetness on my shoulder before I hear her sniffle and take a shaky breath. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her closer as her sobs begin to shake her body.

I lift her chin with my index finger and when she looks at me with her beautiful big, brown, tear filled eyes I can't stop the tears from pooling in my eyes too. "I'll be okay."

She closes her eyes and her lip quivers. "You don't know that."

"I'll be okay," I assure her again, kissing her on the cheek.

I play with her left hand, tracing circles around her ring finger. I sit up on my knees and kneel in front of her. "Baby, I know it's going to be hard when I'm gone, but when you look up at the moon, I want you to remember I'll be looking at the same one." Bella leans into my palm when I place my hand against her cheek, closing her eyes. "You lit up my life from the first moment I met you. I love you so fucking much, Bella. I know I'm going away and leaving you behind, but that doesn't mean I want to leave you behind forever." I pull out the box that's been burning a hole in my pocket the whole night and place it in her hand. "I want you by my side for the rest of my life."

Her eyes snap open to look at me and she looks down to see what's in her hand. "Edward," she gasps, her hand flying to her mouth.

"I want to make you mine completely before I go." I say as I take the ring out of its latch. "Bella Marie Swan, the love of my life, my reason for living." I lift up her left hand, my eyes not leaving hers. "Will you marry me?"

She nods her head vigorously, sitting up on her knees so she's on the same level as me. A grin splits across my face as I slide the ring onto her finger. Happy tears spill down her cheeks this time as she wraps her arms around my neck and leans forward. "Yes, I'll marry you." She whispers against my lips.

* * *

**Well, here we go.**

**I post teasers on my blog, so head over to: natalayxfanfic .tumblr .com to view them on there!**

**You can also reach me on twitter: natalayx**

**Thanks for reading!**

**- Nat x**


	3. Chapter 2

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot. **

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

** All mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Two **

_Settle down with me_  
_And I'll be your safety_  
_You'll be my lady_

**_Kiss Me - Ed Sheeran _**

-x-

**EPOV**

Bella and I lay side by side under the stars, discussing my decision to leave school and join the military.

My right arm is splayed out on the sand, acting as her pillow as her head rests on my shoulder. The reflection of the stars in the sky shine brightly in Bella's eyes.

I bury my nose in her hair and the scent of peaches from her shampoo envelops my senses, making my eyelids heavy. Closing my eyes, I press a kiss to her temple. "Say something," I murmur against soft skin.

Sighing, she smiles softly. "There's nothing to say," she plays with her left hand, turning the engagement ring around her finger. "Your mind seems pretty made up to me."

"I know i may seem selfish-"

"I don't think you're selfish." She cuts me off, sitting up and laying her arms on my chest, her chin propped on top. "I know I acted a little crazy earlier, but I support your decision, Edward."

Tucking her hair behind her ear, I give her a tender smile. "I just want you to know it wasn't a rash or easy decision to make."

Nodding her head, she scoots closer to me until her nose rests against mine. "I trust you," she whispers, her breath fanning across my face. "And I love you."

I ghost the tips of my fingers along her arm and goosebumps rise on her skin as she shivers. Weaving my hand into the hair at the nape of her neck, I massage gently. "I love you too." I reply, leaning up to press my lips to hers.

The love and faith Bella has for me leaves me in awe. For her to stand by me and support my decision to enlist in the military; regardless of all her fears, troubled thoughts and history on the matter, is such a brave and selfless act. My heart expands with the love I feel for her and my soul soars from the devotion she gives me.

"So you're going to enlist after we get married?" She asks quietly, her mouth curving up into a half smile.

"Yeah. I'll basically get whisked away to Basic Combat Training right after I enlist," I wrap my arms around her, holding her tightly. "I don't want vows exchanged in a court house; I want you to have a real wedding."

Bella ducks her head; a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I'd like that."

"Not to mention having a proper honeymoon." I say, waggling my eyebrows.

Bella's swats at my shoulder and drops her cheek to my chest, her body shaking with laughter. The heat from her blush is warm against my skin.

Bella and I stay for a while longer on the beach; listening to the waves crashing into the shore until the crisp, night air chases us back to the warmth of our home.

-x-

Everyone is curious as to why Bella and I want to host a dinner party with the whole family. Alice automatically jumps to the conclusion that Bella is pregnant, which servs as the entertainment for the night. Bella seems nervous the whole night so I make sure to comfort her in any way I can. A brush of my fingers against the back of her neck, a kiss on the cheek, giving her hand a squeeze under the table, wrapping my arms around her waist and hugging her from behind after clearing the table.

"Should we tell them about the engagement first?" Bella asks hesitantly.

"Nah," I respond, pulling her hair to the side to press my lips to the back of her neck. "Break the bad news first." I chuckle against her skin.

Bella spins around in my arms and swats my chest. "That's not funny."

"Just trying to lighten the mood, baby," I murmur before pressing my mouth to her soft lips.

She melts against my body, wrapping her arms around my neck. We're interrupted by a wolf whistle that could only belong to Jake. We pull apart and look over to see Jake sporting a cheeky grin, his arm slung over Leah's shoulder.

"Get a room guys." Says Jake, wiggling his eyebrows.

Bella flips him off as I throw a soaked sponge at him.

"All right crazies," Leah chuckles. "Let's head outside."

As she goes to walk away, Jake responds with "who you calling crazy, loca?" and swats her on the ass. Leah retaliates with a punch to his bicep and squeaking out a giggly "put me down, jerk!" as he lifts her up and over his shoulder, carrying her out of the room.

Bella smiles fondly, following after them.

When I head out to the back porch, the outdoor heaters are blazing to keep us warm from the chilly, night air. Bella is sitting on the love seat, clutching a glass of her favourite white wine. I sit beside her, draping my arm behind her on the back of the seat and pop the top to my beer. I watch out of the corner of my eye, her eyes are glued to my lips as I take a quick swig, before dropping to my Adam's apple when I swallow. When I place the bottle in my lap and turn to face her, her eyes lock with mine and she smiles sheepishly, her cheeks turning my favourite shade of pink from being caught ogling me. I smirk at her, leaning close to kiss her softly. She smiles against my lips before kissing me back, sighing contently when I pull away.

"So what's this all about?" Sue asks, breaking Bella and me out of the moment. Bella entwines her hand with mine as I take a deep breath and glance at everyone around the room. When I tell them about enlisting in the army, there's a range of different reactions.

"Your father would be proud of you." - my mother

"Honey, I know you look up to him like the big brother you never had, but you don't have to follow in his footsteps." - Rose

"I know I gave Em a hard time, but I'm behind you all the way, man." - Seth

"Are you sure you want to do this, son? There's no going back." - Charlie

"You are crazy." - Jake

"Go get 'em, kid." - Leah, before punching Jake.

"Oh, sweetheart, I'll pray for your safety." - Sue

"Oh my god! Edward! Oh my god!" - Alice

"Behind you all the way, dude." - Jasper

"I know it's a big decision and I'm not taking it lightly. I'm not just following in Emmett's footsteps because he's like a brother to me." Bella rubs her hand up and down my thigh as I glance at everyone around the porch before continuing. "I see how much good he's doing over there, helping the kids and their families stuck in the middle of a war they didn't ask for. I want to contribute to that."

"I'm proud of you, son." Charlie mumbles, nodding his head at me.

"What about your plans of becoming a doctor?" Rose asks.

Sighing, I run my fingers through my hair. "I can always go back to medicine some time in the future."

"When you're in the army, it's not a guarantee you'll have a future." She snaps, pursing her lips.

"I can't go into this thinking never going to make it back home." I retort, clenching my jaw. "Did you think like that when Emmett enlisted?"

"Yes." She says with no hesitation. "That's exactly what I thought when Emmett enlisted, and what I still think to this day. And now you're putting that on Bella."

"Rose, stop it." Bella snaps, fixing her with a glare. "We've talked about it and I'm fine. I support his decision."

I turn to Bella and kiss her on the cheek. "It's okay, baby." She glances between Rose and me before nodding her head.

"I'm sorry," Rosalie sighs, smiling sadly. "But it's the truth. You arent guaranteed a future when you're in the military. That's just how it is, Edward."

"And I can accept that," I reply earnestly. "But like I said, I can't go into it thinking I'm going to die as soon as I get there."

"I just worry about you." She murmurs, her eyes filled with sadness. "I love you like you were my own brother."

Her saying that make the corners of my mouth turn up into a smirk. "Speaking of which."

Rose quirks her brow in question and glances between me and Bella, her expression filled with suspicion.

"We have some other news..." Bella says softly, giving Rose a half smile.

"I knew it, you're pregnant!" Alice squeaks, bouncing in her seat.

"Ali, I'm drinking wine!" Bella chuckles, shaking her head in amusement. "I'm not pregnant."

Alice begins to pout. "Oh."

Charlie smirks, already knowing what we're about to announce since I did ask his permission before I proposed to Bella.

Bella pulls the ring out of her pocket and slips it onto her finger. She grins, holding her hand out in front of her. "Edward and I are getting married."

"Oh my god!" Alice squeals.

"That is awesome!" Leah says, smiling brightly.

My mother is the first person to rush forward and wrap Bella up in her arms, welcoming her to the family. Everyone takes turns hugging and congratulating us.

When it's Rosalie's turn, her eyes are filled with tears. She grins, pulling me into a hug. "Congratulations."

I wrap my arms around her shoulders, holding onto her tightly. "Now I will be your brother."

"You little shit." She laughs, punching me in the arm after she pulls away.

-x-

The months leading up to the wedding are hectic. Because Bella and I want to be married before I officially enlist and get swept off to Basic Combat Training, and then eventually deployed. There are a thousand things to do in only a short amount of time before the army recruitment deadline. It's times like these I'm grateful for Bella's best friend, Alice. Her obsession with shopping and event planning has been a Godsend.

Since we only wanted a small wedding, Rose handled the guest list knowing Alice may get a little ahead of herself. Sue and my mom helped Bella pick out the flower arrangements and Leah organised the photographer. Alice picked out the venue, took care of the seating chart, and organised the decor for the reception. It was decided Bella's niece and nephew, Katie and Ben, were going to be the flower girl and ring-barer.

All of the girls took Bella out shopping to find her wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses and little Katie's flower girl dress. Alice also insisted that Jasper be in charge of taking all of us boys to find our suits because, "I don't trust Seth and Jake to take this seriously and poor Edward doesn't need to be stressed out with this stuff." I'm pretty sure I heard her whisper that he wouldn't be getting any for a month if we don't return with results.

Poor Jasper.

-x-

Katie and Ben walk down the aisle first. Katie spreads the rose petals along the aisle, while Ben clutches the rings on the pillow with his life. Jake escorts Leah down the aisle, followed by Rose and Seth, followed up by Jasper and Alice. All the girls look beautiful in their floor length aqua coloured bridesmaid dresses.

As Bella finally comes into view on Charlie's arm, I swear my heart swells five times bigger at the sight of her. Her dress is strapless and heart-shaped at the bust, covered with diamanté's and hugging her body tight all the way down to her hips; the skirt is a fairy tale princess cut, panning out all around her. Her hair is half up half down, the top part pulled back and styled into a medium-size, teased puff on the crown of her head. A diamond flower headpiece is pinned just above her left ear.

She looks absolutely breathtaking. As she begins to walk down the aisle, a tall, stocky man approaches her from the side and I can't stop the grin from splitting across my face. When I hear Rosalie's intake of breath I quickly glance at her and wink before looking back to Bella. Bella clings onto Charlie's arm, her bouquet holding hand flying to her mouth, her eyes pooling with tears as Emmett stands in front of her.

Seth and I were doing everything we could to send information about the wedding back and forth with Emmett, hoping we would be able to book it around the time he would be home on leave. He hadn't contacted us to let us know if he was going to be back in time, but it looks like we succeeded.

Bella rushes forward, throwing her arms around her big brother and clinging onto him tightly. He rubs his hands up and down her back soothingly, whispering something in her ear that makes her laugh and nod her head in agreement. Emmett untangles himself from her, kissing her on the cheek before dashing down the aisle. He walks over to Rosalie and spins her around, dipping her and giving her a passionate kiss before making his way over to me to stand at my side as my best man.

"Good to see you could make it," I laugh, bumping his arm with mine.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, bro." He responds, clapping me on the back and squeezing my shoulder.

All of Me by John Legend begins to play as Charlie walks Bella down the aisle. Our eyes don't leave one another's and she's got a grin so big on that beautiful face of hers, that I swear it could touch the sky. I mouth the lyrics, "'Cause all of me, loves all of you. I love all your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections." To her, and she mouths back, "Give your all to me, I'll give my all to you. You're my end and my beginning. Even when I lose, I'm winning." Before she laughs softly and shakes her head in amusement.

When they reach the end of the aisle, Charlie shakes my hand before placing Bella's hand in mine. He lifts her veil, giving her a kiss on the cheek before taking his seat next to Sue in the front row. The Officiant recites the general subject in a ceremony before the time comes for Bella and I to place the love letters we were required to write, with a bottle of wine in a box to open on our ten year anniversary. After this, Ben comes forward with the rings, followed by Sue to present me with Bella's ring and my mother to present Bella with mine so we can recite our vows.

"Bella, from the very first moment I saw you, you stole my breath away. I remember our first date so clearly, we dined under the stars and in that moment I knew I'd never want to be apart from you. From then on, you owned my heart." Bella wipes the tears from her cheeks before taking my hands back in hers and speaking.

"Edward, your love corrupts my soul and infects my mind. But it's the best kind of love and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I know it was the dealings of fate that bought us together, and that we're meant to be. I don't want to sound dramatic, but without you I feel like I would die."

We exchange our rings and are declared husband and wife. She places her hands on my shoulders as I cup her face in my hands and place my kiss against hers. I run my hands down the sides of her body and wrap them around her waist, pulling her closer. She throws her arms around my neck as I spin her around and dip her to deepen the kiss. She kisses me back passionately, her mouth morphing into a smile against my lips as everyone whoops and cheers, and Jake wolf whistles.

When we get to the reception, the MC introduces the wedding party before introducing us as the newlyweds. As we approach the threshold, I life Bella up into my arms and carry her in bridal-style. She wraps her arms around my neck, giggling before kissing me on the cheek and resting her head on my shoulder.

We have dinner before walking around the room, greeting all the guests and thanking them for sharing this special day with us. We return to our table as the MC calls everyone to attention, announcing that it's time for the speeches.

Emmett is up first being the best man.; he delivers the typical comical speech, making Bella live up to the blushing bride cliché. He tells stories about how when she was eight she used to run around the front yard stark naked, flapping her arms around exclaiming, "I'm free as a bird!" and when he begins to tell the story about catching her making out with the bathroom mirror, practising for her first kiss, she throws a bread roll at him causing everyone to erupt into laughter. When he's done she's covering her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

Charlie talks about how beautiful his baby girl looks and how proud of her he is. He welcomes me into the family, saying he couldn't have found a better guy for his little girl; then he reminds me that just because I'll know how to fire a gun soon, not to forget he knows how to use a shotgun. Bella shakes her head laughing before getting up and kissing him on the cheek.

Last up is the maid of honour, everyone pours another drink knowing Alice can be super wordy and also talk like she's on speed. She surprises us all though, by keeping it short and sweet. "Bella, I've known you my whole life and I've never seen you happier than you've been with Edward. I was born an only child, but I've never felt that way with you as my best friend, you've always treated me as your sister and I can't express how grateful I am for that. I'm so happy for you, because you deserve nothing but the best. Welcome to the family, Edward, I love you both." She dabs her eyes with a napkin and as she goes to hand the mic to the MC, she quickly pulls it back to her and says, "Oh, and I may not know how to use a shot gun like Charlie, but I do throw a mean junk punch. Just sayin'." and then giggles, a shit-eating grin on her face.

I bring my right index and middle fingers together, placing them against my temple to salute her.

"Kiss Me" by Ed Sheeran begins to play, signalling it's time for our first dance. I take Bella's hand in mine, leading her onto the dance floor; spinning her around, I link our fingers together as I pull her close and wrap her up in my arms. She clasps her arms together behind my neck, and we sway from side to side, our foreheads resting against one another.

I run my hands up and down her back, gliding them up her spine, making her shiver. Her breath ghosts against my neck as she sighs contently. I run my hands into her hair, softly massaging her scalp. Skimming my nose down her cheek and across her jawline, I place a kiss behind her ear. I feel her smile against my chest before she pulls away to look in my eyes. She runs her hand over my shoulder, making her way up neck until she's cupping my cheek. Leaning into her touch, I turn my head and press a kiss to her palm.

I pepper her with kisses, all over her face, her neck and her collarbone; slowly making my way up to her jawline. "Settle down with me, and I'll be your safety. You'll be my lady." I sing softly against her ear.

Standing on her tiptoes, she wraps her arms around my neck, and presses her soft lips to mine. Taking her bottom lip between my teeth, I nip them lightly before pressing my mouth to hers again. I run my tongue along her bottom lip, willing her to open up for me; she complies and darts her tongue into my mouth, kissing me passionately.

In this moment it's like we are the only two people in the world.

As the instrumental part of the song begins to play, I spin and sway her around the room before settling in the middle of the dance floor. As everyone else makes their way onto the dance floor, she rests her head on my shoulder and I can feel her heart beating against my chest. I press my lips to her forehead and close my eyes as I feel her lips against my neck.

The love I have for this woman hits me like a hurricane. When I'm with her, I can barely breathe and I feel like I'm losing my mind. But as Bella said in her vows: this is the best kind of love, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

* * *

**Okay, so I hope this chapter cleared up a few things for some of you. Wasn't their first dance so sweet? :")**

**Thanks for reading! **

**Link to my twitter and blog on my profile.**

**- Nat x**


	4. Chapter 3

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot. **

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

**All mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

_Sometimes sitting in the dark_  
_Wishing you were here, turns me crazy_  
_But it's you who makes me lose my head_

**_Crazy For You - Adele_**

-x-

**EPOV**

They say the first year of marriage is always the hardest and it generally determines the life span of your relationship.

When you're facing the obstacle of long periods of limited interaction with each other when you have to go to Basic Combat Training, it makes things hard. It's required for us to be away from all civilisation for ten straight weeks. I was able to write her letters in my free time, but the phone calls were rare, and used only as rewards for good behaviour. Then the moment you get deployed overseas and you're living your first year as husband and wife apart, due to being in a third world country fighting in a war.

It all makes for a wild roller-coaster ride.

-x-

We are standing at the international departures security checkpoint.

My arms are slung around her shoulders, my chin resting on top of her head as I hold her close to me. Her arms are wrapped tightly around me, her forehead resting against my chest. Tears fall down my cheeks freely, shamelessly, while her body shakes from her silent crying. I run my fingers through her hair, trying to soothe and comfort her the best way I can. I cup her face in my hands, gently pulling her head away from my chest so I can look her in the eyes. They're red from crying all day and her cheeks are stained with tear tracks.

"Don't go," she mumbles, resting her forehead against mine.

I smile sadly, sighing heavily. "I can't back out now, baby."

She brings her hands up over mine and closes her eyes as I ghost my thumbs under her eyes, wiping away free-flowing tears that continue to fall.

"I love you." she whispers, her breath fanning across my face.

I lean forward and softly kiss her eyelids, her nose and her cheek, making my way down her jawline. "I love you too," I murmur back before pressing my lips to hers. She runs her hands up my chest and over my shoulders, clasping her arms together behind my neck as she returns the kiss fiercely.

A woman announces over the airport intercom that my flight will begin to board priority passengers in ten minutes.

That's my cue.

I reluctantly pull away from Bella to say goodbye to the rest of my family. She holds onto my hand the entire time; I'm embraced in arms and I shake hands, all while Bella clings to me until the very last second.

Her hand slips out of mine as I walk through the security body scanner and make my way through the gate. I hand the air hostess my ticket and quickly glance back for one last goodbye.

Bella is holding onto Rosalie's hand so tightly I can see the blood drained from it from where I stand. Rose has her arms wrapped around Bella's waist as though she's afraid Bella will fall if she lets her go.

I blow Bella a kiss and mouth "I love you" one last time before walking out onto the runway and heading to my plane.

-x-

The first few months after I get deployed start out okay. Bella and I have Skype dates every two to three nights and email each other every day. She sends me at least three hand-written letters a month and sends me photos to put up in my barracks.

Once we hit the six month mark, the communication with each other begins to diminish. Sometimes, this job requires that we have absolutely no contact with anyone for months on end and those days, or months, are the worst time of my life. Sometimes, we're allowed to see our loved ones via Skype or Face Time every day - or nearly every day, but those moments are extremely rare.

The worst thing about this job is that it's my duty to my country that it always come before Bella and the rest of my family. It's nothing personal; if I had a choice I would throw that rule out the window.

I tell her as much in one of the letters I send her.

_"To my beautiful wife._

_Hi, baby._

_I miss you so much. I miss waking up to you in the morning. I miss your lips against my skin and feeling your heart beat against my chest. I don't regret my decision to enlist in the army, but I'll admit I didn't fully realise how hard it was going to be to be away from you._

_I was talking to Em and he said I should talk to you about a few things, because it would make life easier for you. Firstly, it's my job to defend my country, and help the countries the United States is in alliance with, to the best of my ability; sometimes that means I'll have to go off to places and not tell you anything about it. Sometimes I'll have to vanish off the face of the earth for a long time, but it's not your fault, baby. I'm a member of the US Army, and I have to jump when they say so. So always remember it's nothing personal._

_I look forward to your letters and emails every day. They're what keep me going and keep me strong._

_I love you, girl."_

-x-

_"Dear husband._

_I miss you too. Every day I wonder where you are, what you're doing; if you're safe or in trouble. I'm so proud of you and everything you're doing, but that doesn't mean that I don't hate it when you're gone, or when I hardly hear from you sometimes. I know it's your duty, I understand. I don't blame you, or myself like you were worried about. Every time I receive a letter or email from you, it's the highlight of my day - or month. I always let out a shaky breath every time I read them, as though I've been holding my breath since the last time I heard from you._

_I'm with Rose at the moment, helping her with little Katie and Ben. They miss their Uncle Eddie, and of course their daddy. Rose says hi and says you and her goofball husband better not be trying to act like heroes and to stay out of trouble and stay safe. I think she's been struggling a lot with Emmett's absence lately. I sometimes hear her crying in the bathroom, or in her bedroom at night when she thinks I'm asleep. It breaks my heart to see her like that._

_Before you start to worry about me, please don't. I'm doing okay, baby, I promise._

_Anyway, I have to go, Katie wants to go outside and play. She said to say she loves you._

_And I love you too. Stay safe, my hero._

_I love you, boy."_

-x-

_"Hi, wifey._

_You're so fucking strong. You never cease to amaze me with your kind and understanding soul._

_I'm glad you and Rose are keeping each other company and leaning on each other for comfort. I'm so thankful for that. Tell Rose I said I love her and to stay strong. And let her know Emmett is fine and he turns into the biggest girl whenever he reads a letter or email from her. A huge grin forms on his face and he even sheds a few tears sometimes. I swear, he acts like a kid on Christmas morning every time, but I don't blame him, I'm sure I act the same way._

_Tell Katie I love her back, Ben too._

_Thinking of you every single day._

_I love you, girl."_

-x-

_"Hi, hubby._

_I'm not as strong as you. You're the strongest person I know, and I'm so proud of you._

_I told Rose what you said and she told me to send you a virtual punch in the chest for turning her into a blubbering mess and making her feel like girl. I stated that she is, in fact, a girl; she responded with 'but not one of those girls'. She ended up slapping me for laughing at her. So thank you for helping me in getting her to laugh._

_Sometimes I sit on our bed in the dark, wishing you were here with me. It turns me crazy every time, but it's you who makes me lose my head._

_I love you, boy."_

* * *

**It's sadly time to say goodbye to Edward :( but he'll be back soon ;)**

**Thanks for reading! **

**- Nat x**


	5. Chapter 4

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot.**

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

**All mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

_What if we ruin it all and we love like fools?  
And all we have, we lose?_

_**Fools – Lauren Aquilina**_

-x-

**EPOV**

During my second year in the military; when I arrive home in the summer for my three-month leave, the first few months are fine. We spend every waking moment together, making up for lost time. I spoil her with flowers and gifts and take her on endless dates; going to the movies, out to dinner, the roller-skating rink, walks along the beach.

One night, we have our date night at a travelling funfair that's in town for a few weeks.

Her cheeks are flushed with exertion from all the rides we've been on and her eyes shine with mirth; her mouth curving up into an amused smile as she watches me fail at shooting hoops.

"Wow, you are really terrible," she laughs, shaking her head.

"Hey, I'm trying to win you a prize here." When I take the last shot - and miss - Bella snickers beside me.

Sighing, I entwine my hand with hers and lead us away from the game. We walk in between two food stalls, heading for the pathway. We stand under a large fig tree, looking up at the stars. Bella continues to laugh softly beside me.

"That game was obviously rigged for everyone to lose." I huff, kicking the dirt.

"You're just a sore loser." She quips, smiling cheekily.

I shove my hands in my pockets. "When I lose trying to win you a prize, yeah," I joke, poking my tongue out.

Rolling her eyes, she leans against the tree. "You suck so hard."

I quirk my brow, smirking. "Well, you've never had a problem with that."

She sucks in a breath and her eyes widen, her tongue running along her bottom lip before she takes it between her teeth. I close the distance between us, backing her up until her back is against the tree. Cupping her cheek in my palm, I run my thumb along her bottom lip.

"C'mere," she whispers, fisting my shirt in her hand and pulling; her lips connect with mine in a fierce kiss.

Moaning, I grip the back of her neck, my hands tangling in her hair. Her chest rises and falls as she breathes heavily, a soft sigh escaping her lips. When she snakes her hands under my shirt, my stomach contracts from the brush of her fingers against my skin and I moan from the contact. Kissing down her neck, i grip her thighs and lift her; my hands cupping her ass as her legs wrap around my waist.

We're stuck in our own bubble of lust until we hear footsteps on the footpath. Bella drops her legs from my hips and slides down my body. Laughing softly, she wraps her arm around my waist as I drape my arm across her shoulders. Pressing a kiss to her temple, I chuckle softly and smile against her skin as we walk past the people who were approaching.

We look at all the other game sideshows until we come across the one with the high-pressure water gun where you have to shoot the moving ducks. I halt our steps and turn to Bella, my mouth curving up into a sly grin. Looking between the game, and me she grins, nodding her head enthusiastically.

I play with a group of individuals, and we pit against each other for three rounds until one of us wins.

That winner being me.

-x-

But there are moments that are rough.

_Bullets ricochet all around me, the shrill sound of metal against metal ringing in my ears. I watch in slow motion as Garrett charges fifteen meters ahead of me and a slew of bullets are shot into him. I try to scream for him, but I can't reach my voice._

_The scene changes and I'm running, a thick cloud of orange dust surrounding me and invading my lungs. I cough and sputter as I feel around blindly, trying to find a safe haven with clear air. I kick down a door and burst through, only to falter in my steps at the sight in front of me. U.S. Military men lay on the floor, some buried under debris and others covered in blood; wounds on their faces and limbs missing from their body._

_The thick smoke in the air suffocates my lungs and I gasp for air; the stench of blood and burning corpses stinging my nostrils and making my eyes water. Choking back a sob, I begin to gag._

_"Come back to me." An angelic voice calls._

_I spin around on the spot, eyes wide with shock and fear at the sound of Bella's soft voice filling my ears. What is she doing here?_

_"I'm here." She says tenderly._

_She can't be here. She shouldn't be here._

_"It's me. I'm here," she whispers, the ghost of her silhouette appearing in front of me. "You're safe, baby."_

_She places her palm against my cheek and i close my eyes._

_"It's okay." Her voice echoes._

I wake up to tangled sheets and Bella hovering over me, her eyes wide and glazed over with tears. My chest rise and falls rapidly as my heart pounds like a drum in my chest. My arm is suspended in the air, my hand wrapped around Bella's wrist in a tight grip.

"I'm sorry," I choke, loosening my hold and rubbing my thumb in circles on her wrist.

"Its okay," Bella whispers, placing her palm against my cheek.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I take a shaky breath and exhale slowly. I wrap my arms around Bella, pulling her close and hugging her tight. Sighing, she rests her head against my chest as I bury my face in her hair.

She hitches her leg up on my hip and scoots closer to me, entwining our fingers together. "You're okay." she murmurs against my chest.

-x-

For a while we're living on cloud nine, but then things between us slowly become stilted; one day it's like a switch has been flipped and she's not the Bella I've been with these past few months. She seems distant in her affection towards me and there is a constant hesitancy in her eyes.

The last few days I'm home before I have to leave again, it become too much for me so I decide to get her to talk to me again.

"You okay, baby?" I ask concerned.

"Yeah, fine." She responds, smiling half-heartedly. "Just tired."

"You seem to be tired a lot lately," I murmur, stroking her hair. "Are you sure you're okay? Because-"

"Edward, I said I'm fine." She snaps, rising from the lounge and heading towards the front door.

I jump up and follow her. "Where are you going?"

"I need some air." She mumbles.

"I'll come with you, we'll go for a walk along the-"

"I just need to be alone." She cuts me off.

She walks out the door and closes it behind her before I can respond.

* * *

**Edward and Bella having some happy times when he returns before things between them get angsty!**

**I'm sorry! Please don't come after me with pitchforks**

**- Nat x**


	6. Chapter 5

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot.**

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

**All mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

_Are we lovers or liars?  
Are we burning up to keep this fire alive?_

_**Lovers or Liars – Lauren Aquilina**_

-x-

**EPOV**

"You've become pretty close with Bella, yeah?"

Rosalie is sitting on the lounge, folding laundry. "Of course I have."

"Has she met someone else?"

Rosalie drops the shirt she's folding, and looks up at me like I've lost my mind. "What?"

"There's just something off about her," I shrug, taking a sip of my water.

She quirks her brow, her eyes narrowing. "That doesn't mean she's met someone else."

"She's been really distant lately, so I thought-"

Rosalie fits me with a glare. "Bella is not cheating on you."

"I didn't say she was, but -"

"Edward, no." She replies, exasperated. "She's just... You just need to talk to her."

"I've tried!" I exclaim, throwing my hands in the air.

"Well, try again." She rolls her eyes and begins to fold her laundry again. "Make her talk to you."

"Okay, now you're freaking me out." I reply, frustrated.

"Says the man who suspects his wife is cheating." She retorts fiercely.

"Okay, okay." I raise my hands in a sign of peace. "I'll talk to her."

-x-

When I arrive home and walk into the bedroom, Bella is sitting on the edge of our bed. She looks up as I enter, her eyes filled with sadness. My heart aches from the hurt she's so clearly feeling, but won't let me soothe.

I approach her slowly and crouch down in front of her, resting my palms on her thighs. "We need to talk."

She closes her eyes, places her hands on top of mine and nods her head. "Rose called me." She whispers.

"I see."

"You think I've met someone else?" She asks sadly, opening her eyes. "That I'm cheating on you?"

I lean forward on my knees and rest my head in her lap. "I didn't know what to think, Bella." I murmur against her thighs. "You've been pushing me away and I don't know why."

She runs her hands through my hair that's grown back this summer, scratching her nails against my scalp. "I've just been going through some things,"

"And you can't talk to me about it?" I ask, lifting my head up to look her in the eyes.

"No, because it's not -"

"It's not what?" I ask, linking our fingers together.

"It's not fair to you." She scoots back on the bed, tugging on our entwined hands. I oblige her silent request and rise from the ground, sitting across from her on the bed.

"What isn't?" I ask, confused.

"The way I've been feeling."

"How are you feeling?"

"Sad, confused, scared, weak..." She averts her eyes from mine and takes a breath before letting it out slowly. "Lonely."

"Lonely?" I ask, bewildered. A thousand needles pierce my heart at her confession. "Because of me?"

"I know. I'm stupid," she murmurs, sighing heavily.

"You're not -"

She places her index finger against my mouth. "Let me finish." I automatically pucker my lips to kiss her finger, and I think I see the first genuine smile from her in a long time. "I hate that you're gone all the time," her smile falls, her eyebrows knitting together instead. "Not hearing from you for weeks, sometimes months at a time."

I tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear and rest my palm against her cheek. "Baby, I'm sorry. But I can't change -"

"I know you can't change it, Edward. I know." she shrugs off my affection and climbs off the bed. "This is your- our life now. I get it, I do. I just..." She begins to pace back and forth and I begin to worry she's going to burn a hole in the carpet. "I just don't know how long I can handle not knowing whether you're okay or not, it drives me crazy."

"What are you saying?" I ask, cautiously.

She folds her arms across her chest and looks down at the ground, avoiding my gaze. "I'm saying I don't know if I can handle this life anymore."

I swallow the lump that's suddenly lodged itself in my throat. "Do you want a divorce?"

"No, of course not." She takes her bottom lip into her mouth and shakes her head. "I just want-"

"What?" I snap as I make my way off the bed to stand in front of her. "What do you want, Bella?"

"I want you!" She shouts, fisting her hair in her hand as tears fall down her face. "I have so many people around me who love me, but I always feel so alone because the only person I want to be around, is you."

"You want me?" I growl. She takes a step back as I stalk toward her. placing my palms against the wall, I cage her in; her chest flush against mine. "You already have me."

She shakes her head and places her hands against my chest, pushing against me, but I don't budge. "You're barely even in the room with me anymore. But it's not just that. The mere thought of you being hurt; even in your dreams, it paralyses me."

"I don't know what to tell you." I whisper, clasping her hands in mine as she continues to try and push me away. "I know I seem far away sometimes and the nightmares scare you, but I can't; I don't mean to-"

Her shoulders sag and she rests her forehead against my chest. "You don't have to explain yourself to me. You've probably seen so many horrible things." She whispers, choking back a sob. "Which is why I hate feeling this way. I don't deserve you."

"You're allowed to feel how you feel." I run my hands through her hair and lift her head off my chest until she looks me in the eyes. "I know I'm not the same man you met six years ago, but I'm trying. I know it's hard."

She brings her hands over mine, trying to remove them from her face. "Every time you're gone, I feel my world crashing down," She mutters, her voice breaking.

"Baby, stop." I choke out, pulling her closer to me. "Why are you trying to break away from me?"

"You don't know what it's like," she whimpers.

"I don't know what it's like?" I ask, shocked, dropping my hands to my sides.

"You're not sick with worry every single day wondering whether or not I've been blown into pieces!" She wails, tears flowing down her face.

I flinch back as though she has physically lashed out at me. "No, I'm not." I clench my jaw, my chest rising and falling with laboured breaths. "Instead, I wake up every single morning wondering if my body is going to be returned to my wife in a fucking casket, and pray to God that it doesn't happen."

"Edward!" She sobs as I turn my back on her.

She doesn't come after me as I stalk out of the room and leave the house.

* * *

**Oof. Life if rough. Eeep! Please don't hate me!**

**Thanks for reading! :)**

**p.s. I've been told fictease has been taken down? If this is true, you can head over to see teasers among other things at my blog; natalayxfanfic .tumblr .com **

**Remove the spaces and you're good to go! **

**Nat x**


	7. Chapter 6

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot.**

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

**All mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

_We're not healthy, barley breathing  
__But this pain keeps my heart beating  
__We are lost when we're together  
__But I'll follow you forever_

**Burn With You - Lea Michele**

-x-

**EPOV**

When I turn up at Rosalie's late at night, to say she is shocked would be an understatement. Her eyes fill with sympathy as she takes my hand in hers when I rehash my fight with Bella.

She says I shouldn't have walked out on her like that, no matter what Bella may have said. Maybe she's right. But I needed to put some distance between Bella and me before I ended up saying something I would regret.

"You need to understand that she's feeling lost right now, Edward." She says softly, smiling sadly. "Did you ever stop to think she started acting like this because your deployment date was approaching?"

"I'm such an idiot." I mumble, resting my head in my hands. "How could I not see that?"

"Because Bella hides her feelings well," Rosalie hooks her finger under my chin, forcing me to look her. She smiles tenderly, dropping her hand to my knee. "She's constantly scared for your safety and feeling overwhelmed because you'll be leaving again soon. That's all this is."

Sighing, I shake my head. "But she seems to think I don't get it. She doesn't understand what I go through every day. No, I'm not worrying about her safety every day. Instead of worrying about her safety, I'm worrying about her sanity when a government-issued vehicle pulls up to her curb and two Marines walk up to her door to inform her that I've gone missing, or worse, been killed."

"I know what you're saying, Ed." She sighs and scoots closer to me on the couch, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "All I'm saying is I know how she's feeling. Emmett and I went through the same thing at one stage."

"How did you get through it?" I ask, sadly.

"We talked." She says nonchalantly, like it's the most simple solution. "We got all our feelings out on the table. We didn't give up on our relationship. We fought for our love."

-x-

I spend my second last day in the country with Rose, Katie and Ben. We go to the park, their giggles and squeals of glee making my heart soar as I push them on the swings and chase them around the field playing tag and hide and seek. It's these sort of moments I miss when I'm away.

They're Eight years old now and they've grown so much. Physically and intellectually. Ben is so much like Emmett; dark curly hair and a michevuous smile. He's always playing pranks on Katie - stealing her diary, replacing her scented body powder with dirt. I worry for him sometimes with Katie being so much like Rosalie. She fights back just as dirty and wrestles Ben to the ground when he gets physical with her. Rose ends up losing it at them a few times, shouting that if they don't cut their shit out she's going to email Emmett to inform him of their behavior. When she does that, the kids settle down immediately, mumbling apologies as sadness fills their eyes and they get a faraway look on their faces. Its those times my heart pangs with sympathy for not just them not being able to see their dad, but for him missing out on them growing up and being able to parent them in person.

We have a picnic in the park and everything seems to be going fine, until Katie asks about Bella.

"Uncle Eddie, where is Aunt Bella?" She's asks innocently.

I'm lost for words, but luckily for me Rose speaks. "She's busy doing some assessments, honey."

"But it's Uncle Ed's last day here." Ben whispers sadly.

"It's okay, bud." I assure, rubbing his back soothingly. "I'll see her tonight."

Rose quirks her brow and mutters, "Will you?"

I fix her with a glare and nod. A grin splits across her face and she fist pumps the air, causing me to roll my eyes, the corners of my mouth twitching with amusement.

The rest of the day, I ponder my conversation with Rose about how she and Emmett got through the bumps in the road in their relationship.

That night I decide to go back to Bella.

-x-

I'm packing my things when Bella arrives home and walks into our bedroom.

Her steps falter and she drops her keys when she spots me. "Hi." She whispers, sadly.

"Hey," I murmur, stepping away from the bed.

"Are you going back to Rosalie's?" She asks, her voice breaking.

I shake my head no in response and instantly see the relief in her eyes. "We may be broken right now, but..."

"We can fix it." She finishes, quietly.

"There's no cure for our condition." I mumble, rubbing the back of my neck. "I'm in this for life, baby. Until I'm not."

"Don't," she gasps, her expression contorted with pain. "Don't say things like that."

"Jesus, Bella," I murmur, closing the distance between us and grasping her face in my hands, resting my forehead against hers. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I'm sorry," she sobs, placing her hands on top of mine and gripping them tightly. "I'm so sorry.

I wind my arms around her shoulders and pull her against my chest. "It's okay,"

"I made a vow to stick through this with you. I lost sight of that for a while because everything just felt so hopeless at times." She pulls away a little until her eyes lock with mine. "But when you left last night and didn't come back, I thought I'd lost you forever." she sobs, tears flowing down her face. "Please forgive me." She pleads, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"Baby," I murmur, ducking my head until my eyes are level with hers. "I would burn for you."

Her lips are on mine, moving with frantic desperation. I grip her face in my hands, caressing her cheekbones with my thumbs as I lead her backwards, until the back of her knees hit the edge of the bed. Her mouth quirks up into a seductive smile as she scrambles backwards. I draw in a breath, my abs flexing against her fingertips when they brush against my stomach as she fists my shirt in her hands and tugs me forward.

As her hands run up and down my back, I close my eyes and marvel at how much I crave her touch, how much I've missed the feel of her soft skin against mine. I melt against her, reveling in the passion I haven't felt from her in so long.

I watch with hungry eyes as Bella grips the hem of her shirt and pulls it up over her head, throwing it away. My eyes roam over her beautiful body, licking my lips with desire as I watch her chest rise and fall from her heavy breathing. She must think I'm taking too long to remove my shirt, because she groans in vexation, swats my hands away and seizes hold of my shirt, ripping it apart and causing the buttons to fly everywhere.

"Oops." She giggles, her eyes shining with mirth.

"I like it when you get feisty," I growl, snapping my teeth at her.

I place my hands on each side of her face and kiss her again, her lips are soft against mine, and I smile against them. My fingers ghost across her neck, along her collarbone, and in between her breasts. Sighing, she arches her back, groaning when my hand continues to her stomach. Her skin is hot beneath my fingertips, but she shivers as I draw a circle around her belly button. I flatten my palm on her stomach and run my hands up to her chest. She arches her back again, seeking more contact and I chuckle as she groans in frustration when I ghost my hands down her hips.

I caress the back of her thighs, pulling her legs up until her feet are flat on the bed. Moaning, she bucks her hips, seeking more friction when my knee accidentally comes in contact with her center.

She arches her back, giving me easier access as I reach around her back to unclasp her bra. Goosebumps rise on her skin as the night air from the open window washes over her bare chest.

I smirk against her skin, pressing feather light kisses against her stomach and up her chest before taking her right breast into my mouth and palming the other with my hand, kneading it softly. She runs her hands up and down my back, moaning when I swirl my tongue around her nipple before biting it gently; goose bumps rising on her flesh as I blow on it.

I move to her left breast, her breath hitching when I run my hands under her skirt and rub the inside of her thighs.

Squirming, she rubs her thighs together as I grip the band of her skirt and panties, pulling them down and off her legs. I place my hands on her knees, spreading her legs wide taking in all her beautiful glory.

My muscles flex against her hands as she runs them up my chest and over my shoulders, pulling me towards her. I palm her centre and she gasps against my lips when I run my fingers in between her slick folds. She exhales, her breath fanning across my face as she moans when I rub her clit with my thumb and slip my middle finger inside her.

Digging her nails into my back, she squirms as I trail kisses down her stomach, moaning at the taste of her on my tongue when I reach her centre. Her fingers weave into my hair and she whimpers when I cover her clit with my mouth and suck. Panting, she lifts her legs and rests them over my shoulders; tightening her hands in my hair, she bucks her hips against my face. I enter another finger, groaning at how wet she is as I pump my fingers in out of her.

Crying out in pleasure, her legs fall from my shoulders and I moan at the taste of her release on my tongue. Leaning up on her elbows, she watches with hungry eyes as I pop the button on my jeans, pulling the zipper down and tugging them down my hips, freeing my cock. Bella pounces as soon as I discard them, along with my briefs.

I throw my head back as she strokes my cock, moaning when she cups my balls in her other hand. Leaning forward, I take her bottom lip between my teeth. Sighing, she wraps her arms around my neck as I push her body back until her back is flat on the bed. Placing my hand on top hers, I stop her movements and grip my cock, lining it up with her center. Resting my forehead against hers, I thrust into her; Bella takes her bottom lip between her teeth, moaning softly as she closes her eyes.

Running my hands down the soft skin of her arms, I link our fingers together and place them above her head, her tits bouncing as I pump in and out of her. Flicking her tongue out to moisten her lips, she lifts her head off the pillow. Closing the distance between us, I press my mouth to hers, inhaling her breath as I dart my tongue inside her mouth. Wrapping her legs around my waist, she circles her hips with mine, seeking more friction. I break away from her mouth and suck on her neck, my taste buds tingling from the salt in her sweat; I suck on her salty skin and take her nipple into my mouth.

"Are you close?" I murmur against her bouncing tits.

Panting, she nods her head vigorously. "Are you?"

"Oh yeah," I reply, grunting as I thrust into her deeper and harder.

Her hips twitching, Bella whimpers when I reach down to where we're connected. She continues to moan as I rub circles on her clit, trying to bring on her release quicker, because I know I'm about to blow.

Palming my right ass cheek with her left hand, she grinds and moves her hips with mine to match my rhythm, panting as I pump into her faster. I feel her walls clench around my cock as she arches her back, her hand tightening on my ass as her orgasm rocks through her body. Taking hold of her hips, I thrust into her faster, throwing my head back and shuddering as I release inside her.

I wrap my arms around her waist, rolling onto my back when I pull out of her. She rests her head on top of the place where my heart beats for her and I can feel her heart beating against my chest.

I feel her breath against my skin and her lips turn up into a smile when she whispers, "I love you."

"I love you too." I murmur back, pressing a kiss to her temple, letting my lips linger against her skin.

It's not perfect between us right now, but even the devil was an angel once. We're trapped inside this twisted fate and it's hard, but my love for her is eternal and I would follow her to the ends of the earth.

The things we feel aren't healthy, sometimes I can barely breathe because of the pain I feel. But the pain keeps my heart beating and urges me to stay strong.

And when we're together, we get lost in our own world. And in those moments, I feel like I can conquer the world as long as I have her to come home to.

* * *

**Some make up sex for you! Aren't you glad you didn't come after me with pitchforks now?**

**A huge thank you to ooza for helping me with the lemon and reminding me not to forget le emoshuns! **

**Thanks for reading! :)**

**Nat x**


	8. Chapter 7

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot.**

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

**All mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

_I love lying next to you.  
I could do this for eternity.  
You and me - we're meant to be._

_**Adore You - Miley Cyrus**_

-x-

**EPOV**

She lays on her stomach, her right arm that's extended out in front of her lays on top of mine; her left hand resting on top of my chest. The sun rays shine though the open window, warming her skin and iluminating her body in a beautiful, natural light that surrounds her head like a halo, making her look like the angel I already know she is.

I roll on my side, propping my left arm up under my chin as I trace the path of the light that runs up her back, across her shoulders and down her arm. She stirs in her sleep and scoots closer to me, splaying her arm across my stomach and resting her head in the middle of my chest. I smile softly when I feel her breath against my skin as she sighs contently. I entwine my fingers with her hand that's resting against my stomach and bring it to my lips, lightly kissing her knuckles before resting our entwined hands above the place my heart beats underneath.

My heart, that beats only for her.

I live for these moments and she makes life worth living. I couldn't imagine a life without her in it. When she told me she' wasn't sure how long she can keep living this life; the words struck me like a knife piercing my heart. The thought of not having Bella in my life - her not wanting to be in my life, not wanting me. It scares me more than walking on enemies lines in Afghanistan.

i trace patterns softly on her back as I think back on our conversation last night.

_Bella lays on top of me, her cheek flat against my chest. She traces her fingers softly up and down my arm as I run my hands through her hair. "I'm sorry I walked out on you," I murmur, my voice sounding loud in the quiet room. "I shouldn't have done that."_

_"You needed some space," she replies, folding her arms across my chest and resting her chin on the back of her hand. "I understand."_

_"You warned me what you had to say would upset me." I stroke her cheek with the back of my fingers before cupping it in my hand. "I should have stayed and talked it out with you."_

_She leans into my palm before shaking her head. "If you stayed, we both might have said things we would regret and make the situation to be worse than it was."_

_"We should talk about what was said," I reply, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "About you being unsure about how long you can live this life."_

_Sighing heavily, she closes her eyes. "I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did. I was just scared and hurting, Edward. It's just hard when you have to leave again and I just worry about your safety. I didn't mean to upset you when I said you don't understand what it's like. But if we're being honest, I don't know if either of us will ever completely understand what the other goes through. We have an idea and sympathize with it, but we won't ever truly understand unless we walk in the others shoes."_

_"God." I groan, closing my eyes. "I don't ever want you to be in my shoes; I never want you to witness what I've seen."_

_"And I wouldn't wish my anxiety and fears on you either." She mutters, stroking my hair. "But Edward, I don't want to leave you or the life we have, that's not what I meant. I didn't mean to make you doubt my love for you," My eyes snap open at the sound of her voice breaking. Her eyes are glassy with unshed tears. "I love you so much and I don't ever want to be with anyone but you."_

_"Baby," I murmur, lifting myself up so my back is against the headboard. "C'mere." As I tug her by the wrist, she scoots closer to me and sits on her knees, straddling me. I take her face in my hands, brushing my thumbs under her eyes to remove her tears. "I love you, too. More than I can even put into words. You're everything to me, Bella." I place a kiss on her forehead, her temple, her cheek and her jaw._

_"Everything." I whisper against her lips, running my hands into her hair as I crush my mouth to hers._

The feel of her smile against my skin breaks me out of my reverie; her arms tighten around my waist as she looks up at me. I lean forward and press my mouth to hers.

"Morning, baby," I murmur against her soft lips.

"Morning." She replies, her mouth lifting up into a tender smile.

She hitches her leg up over my hip, her hand snaking around to the back of my neck to pull my mouth back to hers. I pull away so we can catch our breath and kiss along her jaw, down her neck and across her collarbone. She rolls us so she's straddling me, the heat from her pussy making my cock twitch to life. Moaning, I grip her hips as she grinds her slick folds along my shaft. Reaching between us, I grip my cock; she begins to squirm as I stroke my length, groaning when my knuckles brush against her clit.

Gripping the hem of her nightgown, she lifts it, granting easier access when I grasp my cock and line it up with her center. Lowering herself on top of me, she moans, circling her hips. She pants heavily and I can feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest as I palm her breasts. Sighing, she throws her head back, her nails digging into my scalp as she grips my hair. I lift her by the hips, groaning as she whimpers when I slam her back down onto my cock.

Last night we made love, but this morning we work hard and fast, seeking a quick release. Her body sags against mine when she hits her peak, the clenching of her walls around my cock causing me to follow suit. Her chest rises and falls against mine.

"Felt a little frisky, did we?" I ask, my tone of voice filled with lust.

"I'm always frisky in the mornings," she quips, the soft wind from her laughter fanning across my face. "You should know this." She connects her soft lips to mine, smiling against them.

Joining in with her laughter, I slip out of her and lay on my stomach, wrapping my arms around my pillow.

Bella is propped up against me, leaning on her left elbow; her right arm across my back. Her cheeks are flushed with exertion and her skin is slick with sweat and glowing brightly. Her eyes shining with mirth, she slaps me on the ass, the corners of her mouth lifting in a cheeky grin.

Shaking my head in amusement, I can't contain my laughter. My whole being burns for this woman. My chest aches with the amount of love I feel for her.

Pressing her lips to the crevice between my shoulder blades, she sighs contently before resting her chin on my shoulder.

I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear and cup her cheek. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good." She smiles, turning her head to kiss my palm. "You?"

"Definitely." I reply, waggling my eyebrows.

"I felt you tossing and turning a few times," she says quietly, her mouth curving up into a sad smile. "Another nightmare?"

I nod as I skim my hand down her neck and pull her hair to the side, letting it fall over her left shoulder.

She runs her index finger across the dark circles under my eyes, her eyes filled with concern. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"They just always become more profound when..." I glance back and forth between her eyes, wishing she didn't have to share this burden with me. "You know." I continue.

"Yeah." She whispers, before kissing me on the cheek.

"At least I didn't hurt you this time," I mumble, my voice filled with shame.

"Hey," she says softly, gripping my chin in her hands, forcing me to meet her gaze. "You've never once harmed me."

"I know my strength, Bella." I snap, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

"And I know mine." She retorts, placing her hands on my chest. "You. Have. Never. Hurt. Me." She looks at me pointedly and quirks her brow, daring me to argue. "Got it?"

Rolling my eyes, i give her a half smile. "Got it."

Her mouth quirks up into a triumphant smile but her expression quickly changes into something like she's in pain and before I know it; she's out of the bed and running into the bathroom.

"Bella?" I call out in concern, just as I hear her spilling out the contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl.

I rush to her side and pull her hair back, grabbing a hair elastic off the basin and tying her hair up on the top of her head. "Are you okay?"

She groans into the bowl. "Eating that left over curry was a bad idea."

"The curry chicken that was in the fridge?" I ask confused. "I had that as well, before you got home. I feel fine."

I feel her body tense before she flushes the toilet and begins to stand. I help her up and when I glance at her in the mirror, her eyes are wide and her mouth is gaping open like a fish.

"Bella, what's wrong?" I ask, rubbing her shoulders.

Bella reaches for her toothpaste, squirting some of it onto her toothbrush before turning on the tap and running it under the water. Her eyes don't leave mine as she brushes her teeth, spitting out the paste and rinsing her mouth with water. All the while the wheels turn in my head trying to figure out why she's acting so strange all of a sudden.

"Seriously, baby, you're starting to freak me out."

"I think..." She trails off, her hand flying to her stomach.

My eyes widen in shock when my brain finally catches up. "Are you?"

"I think I'm pregnant." She murmurs.

"Are you sure?" Our eyes lock in the mirror and her eyes are rimmed with unshed tears.

I see her eyes widen with shock as she works out the timeline in her head. "I'm three months late." She exclaims. "How did I miss this?" She continues, her voice breaking.

"Hey, it's okay." I assure her, wrapping my arms around her waist. "Let's get a test before we freak out, okay?" I place a kiss against her temple before entwining our hands and leading her out of the bathroom.

I make her lay back down on the bed and tell her to wait there while I run down to the drug store to purchase a pregnancy test kit. I buy a few different ones, just so we can be one hundred percent sure. The old lady at the check out who's name tag says 'Mrs. Cope' smiles brightly at me as she rings up the items and wishes me a cheerful, "Good luck!" before I grab the brown paper bag and rush back to Bella.

When I arrive back at the house, Bella is sitting on the edge of the bed, biting her nails. Her head snaps up when I enter and she stands as I hold out the bag to her. She smiles softly before taking it out of my hands and heading into the bathroom. She pees on three of the sticks and lays them on the basin before washing her hands and walking out of the bathroom, taking up her spot back at the end of the bed. I take my place next to her, entwining our hands together. I kiss the top of her head when she rests her head on my shoulder.

The three minutes we have to wait for the results feel like an eternity. I'm not sure how I'm feeling, let alone how Bella is feeling, but I begin to picture running around the backyard with a little boy, pretending to fight with wooden swords like I used to do with my dad when I was little. Or chasing after a little girl along the beach, lifting her up over my shoulders and spinning around, like my father used to do with Rosalie. I imagined Bella teaching our little girl how to cook or playing soccer with our little boy. A small smile tugs at the corner of my lips as I think of a future filled with children with my Bella.

Bella leans forward to glance at the radio clock on the bedside table before standing and walking into the bathroom, pausing at the doorway. I follow behind her, placing my hands on her shoulders, rubbing soothing circles into them as she continues to walk forward. She picks up one of the tests, her hand flying to her mouth as she picks up the other two with haste. She turns around to face me, eyes shining with unshed tears, a hesitant expression on her face as she holds up the three sticks all showing positive signs.

A grin splits across my face as I bend down and lift Bella up into my arms. "We're having a baby!" I exclaim, spinning her around.

She places her hands on my shoulders, her hair surrounding us like a certain. "You're happy?" She squeaks, beaming down at me.

"Of course I'm happy! We made a baby!" I pepper her with kisses as I place her back down on the ground.

Her expression sobers as she winds her arms around my neck. "You leave tomorrow."

I place my index finger under chin, coaxing her to look at me. I duck my head so our eyes are level. "It'll be okay. You won't be alone, Rosie will help you, and Charlie, Sue, Seth, Leah and Jake will be there for you too. Not to mention Jasper and Alice with her shopping obsession."

A small smile tugs at the corner of her mouth before she sighs heavily. "But you'll miss the whole thing." She whispers, her tone laced with sadness.

"Hey..." I wrap my arms around her and pull her close. She rests her head against my chest and holds on tightly. "I'll fill out a PVR form for a request to resign early."

"But that's not a guarantee, Edward, they may not grant that request. And you can't do that anyway, you signed a contract. You made a commitment to the U.S. Military. You just won't get to meet the baby until a few months after it's born." She pulls away, her eyes wide, welling up with tears again. "If something happens to you while you're over there and you don't even get to-"

"Baby," I cut her off, cupping her face in my hands. "We'll be okay, we'll have Skype, and you can email me pictures and you can even write me letters and send pictures as well if you want."

"I know," she murmurs, smiling sadly. "It just won't be the same."

"I know, sweet girl. But we'll be okay." I reassure her, kissing her softly on the lips. "We're always okay."

"I love you." She murmurs against my mouth.

"I love you too." I whisper back. "So fucking much."

She plays with the hair at the nape of my neck, her mouth slowly turning up into a grin. "We're having a baby!" She laughs.

"We're having a baby." I conclude before smashing my lips back to hers and leading her backwards toward the bed. "Best going away present, ever."

My heart no longer beats just for Bella. It beats for her and our baby growing inside of her.

* * *

**Morning sex, sickness and a bABY, OH MY! **

**This was obviously meant to be where the pregnancy test pic tease came in. Sorry again!**

**Thanks for reading! **

**- Nat**


	9. Chapter 8

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot.**

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

**All mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

_And if the night is burning,  
I will cover my eyes.  
For if the dark returns,  
Then my brothers will die._

_**I See Fire - Ed Sheeran**_

-x-

**EPOV**

**From:** Bella Masen

**To:** Edward Masen

**Subject:** Happy 20 week check up!

I know you're probably asleep or busy right now, but I have news!

We're having a baby girl!

Start thinking of names haha

I love you.

-x-

**From:** Edward Masen

**To:** Bella Masen

**Subject:** RE: Happy 20 week check up!

A girl?! You mean I'll have to wear my uniform to warn off all the boys? Just kidding!

That's great, baby. I'm so happy.

I feel sorry for her for having Alice as an Aunt, though.

Names: Luna? Summer? Harlow?

But, Rose definitely for the middle name.

Love you, more.

-x-

**From:** Bella Masen

**To:** Edward Masen

**Subject:** scaring the boys away?

You do realise Charlie is my father, right? I know how to shoot a gun too. I think it's safe to say our girl will be strongly protected.

Don't be mean to Alice, she's been so helpful. Being pregnant in your last year of college is harder than I thought it would be.

I like Summer. It's when she was conceived, so it's very fitting.

Summer Rose.

Love you the most.

-x-

**From:** Edward Masen

**To:** Bella Masen

**Subject:** Our girl

Sorry for the late reply, baby. Summer Rose is perfect. Give her a kiss on your belly for me.

How are you doing now? I hope you're taking it easy and not getting stressed out.

I wish I could be there to help you with things, I hate being away from you.

Love you to the moon and back.

-x-

**From:** Bella Masen

**To:** Edward Masen

**Subject:** Please don't worry.

Baby girl and I are doing completely fine. I had my 26 week antenatal check up today. My blood pressure was a little high, but that's easy fixed. She's healthy, in the right position and weighing 1.64 pounds and measuring at 13.27 inches. Looks like she's going to be tall like her daddy!

I'm staying stress free, I just meant it's harder to get around on campus when you're the size of an elephant.

I've been keeping busy with studying for my finals now that graduation is rapidly approaching. I'll send you a photo of us girls in my cap and gown ;)

Love you times infinity.

-x-

**From:** Edward Masen

**To:** Bella Masen

**Subject:** RE: please don't worry

I can't help but worry, sweetheart; I love you. But I'm glad to hear she's healthy and not giving her mommy a difficult time.

You keep resting up and taking it easy. Good luck with your finals, baby. I know you'll ace them all and graduate with honors.

Looking forward to the photo.

Love you until the end of time.

-x-

**From:** Bella Masen

**To:** Edward Masen

** Subject:** You were right!

I did ace my finals and graduate with honors :)

Graduation is in a few weeks! I hope you can wait that long for the photo.

I can't believe how quickly the time is passing! It feels like only yesterday we found out I was pregnant and now I'm 28 weeks already!

Love you even after the end of time.

-x-

**From:** Edward Masen

**To:** Bella Masen

**Subject:** RE: you were right!

I'd wait for eternity for you.

Congratulations, baby. Can't wait to see my girls.

And the time is flying by. I'm counting down the days until I have you both in my arms again.

Fine, you win. But I still love you. xo

-x-

The day I get an email from Bella with a photo attached of her in a cap and gown, smiling brightly at the camera as she holds up her diploma stating that she graduated with honors in both Sociology and Psychology in one hand and her other hand resting on her large stomach, I can barely contain the grin from splitting my face in half.

It kills me that I wasn't there for her and I begin to think of another life. A life I would be living if I didn't decide to take this path instead of the original one I intended. I'd be there in the photo with her, standing behind her with my arms resting on her stomach, graduating from the Pre-Med program I was in before heading off to Med School.

I don't regret enlisting in the military. It was a hard decision to make and I made it with a heavy heart knowing I'd be apart from Bella, not to mention the fact Rosalie pointed out to me that there's no guarantee I'll make it home. But I felt it was something I had to do and I was lucky enough to have people in my life that understood that.

It's my day to make a phone call back home, so I give my girl a quick call to congratulate her before getting ready to join Emmett and the rest of the guys in the unit.

As i'm getting ready to leave, I see an email from Rosalie pop up on the monitor.

**From:** Rosalie Swan

**To:** Edward Masen

**Subject:** you can thank me later

I took this when she was getting ready for graduation today. I probably shouldn't have intruded on her privacy, but I think she was having a moment of missing you and I couldn't stop myself. I hope this helps take your mind off all the trouble you're facing over there.

I click on the image attached and I can't stop myself from grinning. The photo is in black and white. Bella's hair is out and in soft, messy curls. She's wearing one of my white, long sleeve button-up shirts, her hands cradling her large, bare stomach.

**To:** Rosalie Swan

**From:** Edward Masen

**Subject:** RE: you can thank me later

No need to wait for later.

Thanks, Rose. Love you.

-x-

I clutch my M-16 to my chest and crawl to a nearby broken down brick cottage, coughing and spluttering out the dirt I inhaled after being thrown to the ground from a bomb being dropped not fifteen metres from me and the boys in my unit.

I sit up, resting my back against the brick wall and wipe the sweat off my face and the back of my neck with the sleeve of my uniform. The rest is short lived, the shrill sound of metal hitting metal ringing through my ears as the bullets ricochet all around me.

Sliding down the wall, I roll until I'm on my hands and knees. I peek out of a small hole in the wall to get a glimpse of what's happening out on the field. I'm too busy trying to see whats's happening out on the front line, that I don't hear the approaching scuffle of boots running in my direction until a body slams into my side and knocks me to the ground. I cuss, spin onto my back, raising my gun, eyes wide and heart beating fast. I let out a sigh of relief when I see the smug smile of Sergeant Swan, aka my brother in law, Emmett.

"Sup, Battle. Thought you could use a hand." He chuckles.

"What the fuck is wrong with you," I hiss, launching my fist at his bicep. He dodges the blow quickly and lands one to my arm instead. "You scared the shit outta me!" I kick his shin and he lets out a cuss.

He shakes his head and chuckles to himself. "Settle Down, Corporal."

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

The smile falls from his face as he glances around us. "I lost track of the other boys."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

I peek through the hole again, searching for any sign of our men. "There are a few at two o'clock and nine o'clock."

"Lemme see," he says, pushing me out of the way. Fucking baboon.

"Alright, they seem to be holding their own for now," he shuffles to the left to look out of another, bigger hole. "But we're gonna have to make our way to them before they start gaining on them."

I take back my position at the wall and scout out locations Emmett and I can take base at, to get to the other soldiers and help them out. I spot a smaller, destroyed shack, with not as much cover and protection as this one offers, but it would give the boys an advantage and give us the upper hand.

I glance back and forth between Emmett and the hole a few times before letting out a heavy sigh and sitting back down. "There's a place up ahead,"

"That little shack?"

I loll my head to the right to look at him. "You saw it?"

He nods his head and scrunches up his nose. "Roughly thirty metres, yeah?"

"Yeah," I scratch the back of my neck. "Only problem is we'll be out in the open until we reach it, with nobody covering us to keep the heat off our backs."

Emmett peeks through his hole again before letting out a groan. "We're fast, we'll be okay."

"We'll be okay." I agree,

determination setting into my bones.

It all happens so fast we don't see it coming. Everything turns to slow motion as the small shack only ten metres ahead is destroyed by a bomb, the shear force knocking Emmett and me backwards, debris falling all around us. I look to my left and see Emmett laying on his back, not moving, blood gushing from his head. I pick up my gun and run to him, I grab him under the shoulders and drag him the rest of the way to what's left of the already destroyed shack and prop him up.

"Em, come on," I pant, pulling my canteen out and splashing some water on his face. "Wake up, man."

He takes a shaky breath and groans, opening his eyes to look at me. "Fuck me."

"No thanks, dude."

"Funny." He rolls his eyes, wiping his bloody forehead with the back of his hand. "Come on, man, we've gotta cover them."

As I stand to help him up, I'm jolted backwards as a slew of bullets are shot into my right shoulder and chest. My eyes widen in shock as I drop to my knees. Emmett rushes to my side, just as I begin to fall to the side. He hoops his arms under my arms, just as I did to him, and drags me over to the little protection the shack offers.

As he sets me up right, I begin to push him away. "Dude, stop. What are you doing?" He asked confused.

"You've gotta get outta here, man." I croak.

"Sorry, what did you just say?"

"I said you-"

"I'm not a fucking idiot," he spits, cutting me off. "I heard you."

I groan in pain as he grips my shoulders and lays me down on the ground. I continue to try and push him away, but my attempts are weak from the blood loss. "Em."

"No. If you think I'm gonna leave you here, you're stupider than you look."

"If you don't, you're gonna end up like Swiss cheese with bullet holes all through you!"

"I don't care, you're my brother I'm not leaving." His voice begins to break and he lets out a shaky breath.

"You need to think of Rose and the kids," I insist.

"And what about Bella and your kid?" He spits back. "I can't leave you, man. Bella would kill me."

I smile at the thought of my Bella unleashing her wrath onto him. She's a feisty one sometimes, especially when her hormones are running high. "Tell her... Tell her I love her, so fucking much."

"Tell her yourself." Her retorts back angrily.

"Em," I grab his arm while I cough up a storm, blood spurting across his chest. "I can't."

"Don't you fucking dare give up, Edward Masen!" He shouts, his hands fluttering all over my body as though he's looking for something. He shoves his hand in one of my back pockets and pulls out an image, holding it up in front of me.

It's the photo Rosalie sent me in an email earlier today. I choke back a sob as Emmett thrusts the picture into my hand, while clutching my collar with his free hand. "You fight for Bella and your baby girl." Tears fall freely down his face shamelessly and the tone of his voice becomes hysterical. "You fight for your family, goddamnit!"

I place my hand on top of his that's clutching my collar and squeeze it lightly. I bring the picture to my lips, kissing it softly before closing my eyes and whispering, "I love you, man."

Emmett's voice begins to sound like it's coming through a tunnel, and then all I see is black.

* * *

**So, we've reached the Prologue! Gahhh. Poor Edward :( please hang in there, guys! I have a plan, I swear! Lol**

**Thanks for reading!**

**- Nat x**


	10. Chapter 9

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot.**

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

**All mistakes are mine.**

**p.s. I've been told to give a tissue warning, so... WARNING: be prepared for tears.**

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

_Was just a week ago,  
you said "I love you, girl."  
I said, "I love you more."  
Then a breath, a pause.  
You say, "If You Say So."_

_**If You Say So - Lea Michele**_

-x-

**BPOV**

"So, I have something to tell you."

My pen pauses on paper and I glance up at Rose. The corners of her mouth are curved into a smirk and her eyes are shining with mischief.

"What do you have to tell me?" I ask, quirking my brow.

The look in her eyes transforms from mirth to caution. "Promise you won't bitch slap me?"

I roll my eyes and shake my head in amusement. "Rose, I'm pretty sure you could take me."

"Not with the hormones you've been sporting lately, you psycho." she snickers.

Sighing, I drop my pen and lean back on my left hand, my right resting on top of my bulging stomach. "Just tell me."

"I took a photo of you while you were getting ready for graduation." She blurts out in one breath before smiling softly.

"So?" I ask, confused. "What's the big deal?"

She rummages around in her purse for a few minutes, before pulling out a wallet-sized photograph, holding it out to me. "I sent it to Edward." She says, hesitantly.

Leaning forward, I take the image out of her hands and gasp. "Rose..."

"I know, I'm an idiot. You were having a moment and I invaded - what are you doing?!" She exclaims, rushing to my side to help me as I begin to stand.

I wrap my arms around her neck. "It's beautiful." I whisper, holding onto her tightly. "I'm glad you took it."

We break our embrace when there's a knock at the door.

"Are you expecting anyone?" Rose asks, curiously.

"No?" I respond, confused. "Ali isn't coming over until Wednesday."

We walk to the front door - well, I waddle like a penguin. When Rose opens the door, she gasps, her eyes widening with shock. I walk around her to see what all the drama is about. My steps falter, my hand flying to my mouth at the sight of the two Marines standing on my front porch.

"No," I whisper, gripping the doorframe as my knees go weak.

I feel Rosalie's arm around my waist, holding me up.

"Mrs. Masen, if we could -"

"No," I choke, frantically shaking my head back and forth, slowly backing away from the nightmare coming to life at my front door. I spin on my heel, turning my back on them. Tears cascade down my face as I rush to the bathroom and spill the contents on my stomach into the toilet. "No, no, no," I chant, crying harder as my emotions overwhelm me.

I feel her touch before I hear her voice. "It's not what you think," she whispers, rubbing soothing circles on my back. "They won't tell me anything yet, except he's not..."

I flush the toilet and put the lid down before turning around to face her. "He's not?"

Sighing, she pulls me into her arms, stroking my hair. "He's not gone, sweet girl."

My body sags against hers in relief. "Then why?"

"Come on," she says, taking my hands in hers and helping me stand. "They'll explain."

I rest my left hand on my stomach as Rosalie wraps her arm around me. My eyes are filled with fear; my body shaking with anxiety as we stand in front of the Marine Soldiers in my living room.

"Hi, Mrs. Masen, I'm Major Tyler Crowley," I shake his hand and nod my head in greeting. "This is Colonel Demitri Andreotti."

"Nice to meet you ma'am." He greets me kindly; I give him the same greeting before placing my hands in my lap, cradling my stomach.

"Ma'am, during a raid, Corporal Masen and Sergeant Swan had a bomb dropped 10 metres in front of them. Swan had a blow to the head and-"

Rosalie's hold on my hand tightens at the mention of Emmett. "Is Em... Is Emmett okay?" She asks shakily.

"For the most part, yes." Major Crowley smiles sympathetically. "Seagant Swan also had a piece of debris wedged deep into his left leg and had to go under an amputation procedure."

"Oh my god." Rose chokes, lowering herself on the couch and rests her forehead against my shoulder when I sit beside her.

"We won't go into the graphic details, but his leg was unfortunately unsalvagable." Colonel Andreotti continues.

I rest my palm against Rosalie's head, stroking her hair softly. My other hand holds onto hers tightly as I take a shaky breath. "What about Edward?" I ask anxiously.

"Corporal Masen went to his aid, dragging Sergeant Swan and himself to better cover, in the process of doing this, a slew of bullets were shot into Corporal Masen," Major Crowley pauses, smiling sympathetically. "Fortunately, our soldiers gained on the enemy and they surrendered. Your husband was taken to the medical station and went under immediate surgery to remove the bullets and go through blood transfusions to replace the blood he lost. He's in a stable condition, but he is unfortunately unresponsive at this time. The medical team in Afghanistan are doing everything they can to help him."

I cover my face in my hands; my body shakes with sobs as my heartbeat rings in my ears. I swallow the lump in my throat, thoughts of Edwards minor chance of surviving hit like a tornado and the mountains that were my faith and safety, crumble around me in a landslide.

-x-

I constantly check my phone and wait for him to call. I refresh my inbox, looking for an email he's sent and check the letterbox endlessly, hoping to find a letter from him.

It's been seven days since the last time I heard his voice.

I haven't been able to stop replaying the last conversation I had with him. I can't get the last words that he said out of my head.

_"Edward?" I answered after the phone rang twice, my voice laced with hope._

_"Hi, baby," He breathed into the phone. "Congratulations."_

_"Hi, thank you." I replied, smiling softly. "I miss you." I whispered sadly._

_"I miss you too." He murmured. "How are you?"_

_Sighing, I leaned against the kitchen island. "I'm okay."_

_"Why only okay?" He asked, concerned._

_"I wish you were there with me." I mumbled._

_"Me too, sweet girl." He responded wistfully._

_"You would have graduated pre-med."_

_"I know."_

_"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned._

_"Better now that I'm talking to you." He chuckled._

_"Such a sweet talker, baby." I laughed, the corners of my mouth twitching into a half smile. "I can feel you smirking from here."_

_"I wish you could feel my hands on you." He retorted seductively._

_I giggled and bit my bottom lip, blushing furiously._

_"Wrap it up, private." Someone on his end snapped._

_"Yes sir," said Edward instantly. "I gotta go, sugar-pie."_

_"Already?" I asked, disappointed._

_"I'll call you again soon." He assured._

_"You better." I warned, playfully._

_He said, "I love you, girl."_

_I said, "I love you more."_

_Then a breath, a pause, he said, "If you say so."_

_And then he hung up._

-x-

No matter what I do, I can't get away from the pain.

He haunts my every thought; every night I lay awake, feeling like I'm drowning in the bottom of the ocean. My heartbeat hasn't calmed and I can't speak; every time I try, words walk away from me.

The fear I feel is like a weight on my chest, crushing me. It's like I'm in a room filled with smoke and I'm choking.

I have no breath; I have no air in my lungs.

He is my oxygen.

* * *

**I'm sorry if I made you cry! If it makes you feel any better, I cried while writing!**

**This chapter was hard to write. Especially with the song If You Say So by Lea Michele on repeat!**

**Thanks for reading! **

**- Nat x**


	11. Chapter 10

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot.**

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

**All mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

_I've never felt this way before.  
Everything that I do, reminds me of you.  
And the clothes you left, they lay on the floor.  
And they smell just like you._

_**When You're Gone - Avril Lavigne**_

-x-

**BPOV**

When Rose gets off the phone with Elizabeth, she tells me she's already been contacted about Edward. After convincing Rose I'm okay and it's fine for her to leave, I drive straight to my mother-in-law's house.

When Elizabeth opens her front door, her eyes are bloodshot from crying and she has tear tracks on her cheeks. I choke back a sob at the sight of her and she pulls me into a hug, whispering "Oh, honey," as her arms fold around me like a shield of protection.

I cling to her tightly, my body sagging against her. "What am I going to do?"

"Come on," she says, stroking my hair soothingly as she leads me inside. She doesn't release me as we sit on the couch. Instead, she pulls me closer.

"I can't lose him." I cry into the crook of her neck.

"You won't," She replies confidently, pulling away slightly to look me in the eyes. "He's strong, Bella. He'll fight."

"But what if-"

"No 'buts' and no 'ifs'," she cuts me off, a determined expression on her face. "He will get through this."

I blink away tears, nodding my head as I lay down on the lounge. Resting my head in her lap, my tears soak into her jeans.

When I finally gather my bearings, Lizzie suggests we head into the kitchen. I take a seat at the kitchen island as she rummages through her cupboards, pulling out two mugs and a jar of sugar.

My mouth turns up into a sad smile as she fills the kettle with water and puts it on the stove to boil.

Edward loves having his tea made that way.

-x-

Elizabeth insists I stay with her for a week. I think she's worried I'm going to curl up in a dark corner and never move. I only make it three days until it becomes too much. I can't handle sitting around doing nothing, being waited on hand and foot.

I'm pregnant and my heart is hurting; I'm not paralysed.

She tries to insist on driving me home and then catching the bus back to her house. I refuse, assuring her I'll be fine and I'll call as soon as I arrive home.

When I pull into my driveway, Alice is sitting on my front step and Jasper is leaning on the porch rail beside her. She looks up at Jasper when he says something to her as I get out of the car. Her head whips in my direction as I shut the car door.

When I reach them, she stands quickly. "I'm so sorry, B." She murmurs, rising on her toes and wrapping her arms around me in a soft embrace.

Sighing heavily, I wrap my arms around her shoulders and cling to her tightly. "Thanks," I whisper against the top of her head.

"Hey, Jazzy." I greet, giving him a half smile.

"Hi, darlin'" he responds kindly, placing his hand on my arms and giving them a light squeeze. "Sorry about Ed."

"Me too." I reply, smiling sadly. "Come inside?" I ask, looking between them.

"Of course," Alice replies, entwining her hand with mine as we walk up to my front door and enter the house.

-x-

"How's Lizzie doing?" Alice asks, concerned.

"She's doing okay. Keeping busy," I reply, taking a sip of my water. "She wanted me to stay for a week, but I couldn't handle it."

"Did she get all mother hen on you?" Jasper chuckles.

I smile softly. "Yeah."

"That's probably her way of dealing with it," Alice says sadly. "Fussing over you because she can't look after her son like she wants to."

My smile falls and my eyes fill with tears.

"Oh, Bella." Alice whispers, placing her hand on my knee. "I'm sorry."

"No, no," I say, patting her hand. "It's okay."

Alice and Jasper tell me about their holiday to The Hamptons; Alice gushes about how beautiful the resort was and how I have to go one day after Summer is born, because the spas there are heaven. Jasper jokes about how Alice freaked out when they saw a range of celebrities there and how she fan-girled so hard when she saw Sandra Bullock, she fainted.

It's the first time in three days that I've laughed and worn a genuine smile.

The shrill sound of my phone ringing breaks me out of my good mood. A shadow of darkness, filled with fear, fills my bones and runs through my veins, crippling me. I sit frozen in place, staring at it as it rings. Alice picks it up and answers, her voice sounding far away as she speaks to whoever is on the other end of the phone.

She nudges me a few times, saying my name softly and snapping me out of my stupor. She smiles encouragingly. "They wouldn't tell me anything."

Taking the phone from her, I place it against my ear and let out a shaky breath. "Hello?"

"Hi, Mrs. Masen?"

"Call me Bella," I reply politely.

"Bella then, this is Doctor Carlisle Cullen from the medical station in Afghanistan."

"Hi, Doctor Cullen." I greet kindly. "How can I help you?"

"I was given your number to keep you updated on your husband's condition."

"How is he?" I ask anxiously.

"His blood pressure is stable and he's breathing on his own now,"

"Thank god." I reply, breathing a sigh of relief.

"But I'm sorry to say he's still unresponsive at this time." He says, sounding genuinely upset.

"Okay," I choke, taking a shaky breath.

"Don't give up hope, Bella," he says sincerely. "We've had many recoveries from cases like this."

"I'll try, Doctor Cullen." I reply sadly.

"Call me Carlisle, dear." He chuckles, mimicking my earlier request. "I'll call you if anything changes."

"Thank you." I whisper before hanging up.

I relay the conversation with Carlisle to Alice and Jasper. They tell me Carlisle is right and not to give up hope; people have been in worse conditions than Edward and recovered. Summer begins to kick ferociously and when Alice notices her face splits into a grin and she places her hands on top of my stomach to feel it. She's already felt her kick, but she has the same reaction and squeals in excitement every single time; it brings another genuine smile to my face.

They stay for a few more hours and we talk about how I'm doing with the pregnancy and how the nursery set up is going. I tell them I haven't set up the bassinet or cot yet. Jasper says he'll call Seth and Jake to help set them up, as well as the chest of drawers. When I say I still have to get some sheets and a mobile, Alice unsurprisingly offers to take me shopping.

With the topic of the nursery, my thoughts begin to drift back to Edward and the feelings of sadness for him not being able to be here to help me with it, like I know he'd want to, engulf me.

"We better get going," Jasper says, sensing my need to be alone.

"Thank for coming over to check on me," I say earnestly.

"Anytime, darlin'," Jasper replies wholeheartedly.

"Do you want me to stay?" Alice asks concerned.

"Thanks Ali, but I just want to be alone right now." I say sadly, walking them to the door.

Jasper pulls me into a hug and kisses the top of my head. "If you need anything just let us know, okay?"

I nod against his chest before breaking our embrace. "I will."

Once Alice and Jasper have left, I pull out my phone from my back pocket and unlock the screen. Pulling up my contacts, I scroll through the list of names until I find Lizzie's. I press the call button, giving her that call I promised her before I left her house.

-x-

The next few weeks are torture.

I haven't heard anything since Doctor Cullen called me that day. I was told he would be keeping me informed of Edward's progress, but all I've gotten is a few emails from the nurses over there telling me there's been no change in Edward's condition.

Every time the phone rings, my heart pounds hard against bone, trying to escape the enclosure of the prison cell that is my ribcage. My heart, soul and mind are lost without him.

All night I toss and turn, unable to fall asleep at the sight of his made up side of the bed. He's meant to be here with me, living these memories of our baby girl growing inside me.

I have days where I am completely lost, feeling like I'm going insane. Those days, I can't see myself without him; I can't even think about it. I'll never be the same, I'll never make it without him.

But then I think of our Summer Rose and she gives me strength to carry on.

I imagine him laying here beside me, playing with the stand of hair that's fallen in front of my face, his hand against my stomach, eyes wide in wonder and filled with sheer joy at the feeling of our little girl kicking against his palm. Sighing, I absentmindedly rub my stomach, thinking of Edward. Summer kicks against my hand and I can't stop the tears from falling. It's like she knows I'm worried about her daddy and she is letting me know she's scared too.

"He'll be okay, baby girl," I whisper, my voice sounding loud in the empty room. I roll onto my side and I grasp the sheets on Edward's side of the bed, while my other hand cradles my stomach. "He has to be." I choke, my body shaking as I cry into his pillow.

* * *

**My poor Bella :( at least she has Summer to seek comfort from.**

**If you're still with me, i just want to say thanks so much for reading! There's only a few chapters left.**

**- Nat x**


	12. Chapter 11

**All characters belong to S. Meyer. I own nothing; except this plot.**

**Pre Read by Bree Masen Cullen**

**Beta'd by LoveMeSumEdward :)**

**All mistakes are mine.**

**BIG, HUGE, GINORMOUS TISSUE WARNING! -in a good way ;)-**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

_You are golden – precious as a prayer.  
Flying up through the air, while the rain is falling.  
Golden; timeless as a kiss._

_**Golden - Lady Antebellum**_

-x-

**BPOV**

"Emmett?"

_"Hey, baby sis."_

"God, it's so good to hear your voice." I whisper, exhaling a shaky breath.

_"You too, babybelle."_ He responds tenderly. _"How you holding up?"_

I pinch my eyes shut, sighing heavily. "I'm doing okay."

_"This is your big brother you're talking too, sweet girl."_ he chuckles, and I imagine him rolling his eyes, his brow lifting up in challenge.

My lips pull back in a tender smile and I shake my head in amusement. "I forgot how annoying you are."

_"I'm annoying because I care."_ I states soberly.

I dart my tongue out and run it along my bottom lip before taking it between my teeth. "I know." I lower myself down on the couch and lay down, resting my hand on my stomach. "I'm worried, Em. What else do you expect? I'm trying to stay calm and keep positive, but it's hard, you know?" I suck in a deep breath as my voice begins to break. "I was so scared when they told me what happened." My voice does break now and I can't hold back the tears. "I thought I was going to lose both of you."

_"But you didn't,"_ he explains gently. "_You should know by now i'd never give up without a fight; I've got dad's genes."_ He chuckles under his breath before continuing. _"Ed is strong too, Belle. He'll get through it okay? He won't give up; he's fighting every day to come home to you and your girl."_

"Emmett." I choke, coveringmy face with my hand as my body shakes with sobs. "I just wish I could be over there with you."

_"I know you do baby girl," _He acknowledges softly._ "And it kills me that you can't."_

I sniff unatractively. "How are you doing?" I ask, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. "How's your leg?"

_"Its healing." _He mutters, clearly uncomfortable with the change of subject._ "It's hard, you know. But I'll get through it."_

"I love you, Em." I whisper, letting out a shaky breath.

_"Tell me honestly; do you want me to come home?" _He asks sincerely.

"I feel so selfish and guilty; that you aren't here with Rose," I respond, rolling onto my side. "But I just... he needs someone with him."

_"I understand, Bella. And so does Rose. I was just on Skype with her and when I bought up the option of me coming home, she insisted I stay here with Ed; even when I told her you suggested I come home to be with her." _

"Of course she did." I mumble, laughing softly.

_ "But if you change your mind, you tell me, okay?"_ He insists, his voice laced with determination. _"And I'll be on the first flight back."_

"Okay." I whisper, the corner of my mouth lifting up into a smile. "Thanks, Em."

_"Anything for you, sis. You know that." _He responds affectionately._ "I've gotta head off. I'll talk to you soon; I love you."_

"I love you too." I reply, even though he's already hung up.

-x-

While Rose, Leah, Alice and I lounge on the couch, Jasper, Seth and Jake are all sitting on my living room floor; nuts, bolts and pieces of the change table scattered around them. Jasper sighs in frustration, his brows dipped in confusion as he tries to decipher the instructions. Jasper narrows his eyes at Jake when he snatches the piece of paper out of Jaspers hands. When Jake admits defeat, Jaspers demeanor changes from annoyance to satisfaction, a smug smile lingering on his face as he chuckles under his breath.

"Why are instructions for a baby change table so difficult to understand?" Jake grumbles.

Snickering with amusement, Leah moves from the couch and squats behind Jake, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "It's okay, babe. You just weren't meant for manual labor." She jokes, tilting her head and pressing her lips to his cheek.

Jake wraps his hands around Leahs arms, lifting them over his head and pulling her around the side of his body and into his lap. "I'll give you manual labor." He smirks, pinching her side. She wraps her arms around his neck as he brushes his lips against hers.

Their affection makes my heart pang with sadness and longing. Rose entwines her hand with mine when I pull in a deep breath and exhale shakily. I rest my head on her shoulder, my lips tugging up in an amused smile as Seth groans and throws a bolt at Jake and Leah.

"You guys are so disgusting."

Leah swings her arm in a backstroke maneuver, slapping Seth on the thigh. "Don't be jealous just because Rachel won't let you in her pants."

"She lets me into her pants, plenty." Seth quips, his mouth pulling back into a grin.

Jakes eyes narrow as his gaze lands on Seth. "That's my sister you're talking about."

"You do realize you're all over _my_ sister right now?" Seth retorts, cocking his brow.

"That's different." Jake says with a shrug.

"Your argument is invalid." Seth laughs and rolls his eyes.

"Both of you need to shut up and start figuring out how to make this damn thing." Jasper remarks.

Seth picks up the instructions, his brows knitting together and his expression discouraged. "I say we just look up YouTube tutorials."

Laughing under my breath I rise from the couch. "I'll go get the laptop."

"I'll come with." Alice states, linking her arm through mine as we walk down the hall to my bedroom. She sits on the edge of my bed and pats the spot next to her. I ease myself onto the bed, shifting my gaze to hers.

"How you holding up?" she asks, her eyes filled with concern.

"I'm okay." I mumble with a shrug.

"And I don't have a shopping problem." She deadpans unconvinced, lifting her brow. "Now tell me how you're really feeling."

My lips pull up in a dejected smile. "I could've lost my brother and my husband. I'm just really overwhelmed."

"I can't even imagine what you're going through," she mutters, taking my hand in hers and squeezing tightly.

My eyes fill with tears, spilling down my cheeks as I squeeze my eyes shut. "I wish I could go to them." I sob, sucking in a shaky breath.

"Oh, Bella." Alice whispers as she wraps her arms around my shoulders and strokes my hair. "Is Lizzie still planning on flying over?"

Unable to speak, I nod my head against her shoulder.

"Is Rose going to go over to see Em?" she asks.

"I told her she should go over but she said she doesn't want to leave me."

Alice nods her head solemnly. "She may feel she needs to share the burden with you."

My brows dip in confusion, my eyes darting back and fourth between hers. "What do you mean?"

"Because you can't go see them," she explains, patting my belly. "Maybe she feels like she shouldn't either."

"That's just silly." I mumble, shaking my head in bewilderment.

"Everything okay in here?" Rosalies soft voice asks as she leans against the doorframe.

I lift my head, my lips pulling back into a sad smile. "We were just discussing how you should go see Em."

Sighing, she moves from the doorway and lowers herself in front of me, placing her hand ontop of my knee. "Bella, we've talked about this."

"You don't owe me anything, Rose." I take her hand in mine. "You should go see them."

"It doesn't feel right going without you." She explains, tightening her hold on my hand.

"If the roles were reversed you would want me to go see Edward." I state, lifting my brow in challenge.

"Have you spoken to Em lately?" Alice asks, looking between me and Rose.

"We were on Skype the other day," Rose responds, her mouth curving up into a faint smile.

"I completely lost it the first time we Skyped," I laugh at the memory. "But yeah, he called me after he spoke to Rose."

"You'll see your boys again soon," Alice remarks sincerely.

"You don't know that, Ali." I whisper.

"I can feel it in my bones," she winks, her mouth curving up into a grin. "My intuition is never wrong." She laughs, rising from the bed and extending her hand out to mine.

"Come on," Rose says, laughing under her breath as she stands. "Let's go give those dummies the laptop so they can finally figure out how to make that damn change table."

-x-

Because the boys are all helping with the nursery, Seth always finds excuses to come over and Leah happens to be with him when he 'remembers' something he forgot to do the last time he was here. And if it's not Rose checking on me, it's Charlie and Sue, or Elizabeth. Not to mention Alice has the excuse of taking me out shopping to get things for the nursery and Summer as well.

I appreciate everything they've done and continue to do for me, but it's beginning to drive me insane. Their concern for me is suffocating; like hands clasped around my throat, crushing my windpipe and restricting me from being able to breathe air into my lungs.

One day, I hear the sound of rattling keys and my front door opening. My heart rate spikes as I rush to the bedroom as fast as I can with my belly being the size of a house; I grab the baseball bat out from the back of the closet and creep down the hallway.

When I hear rummaging around in the kitchen, I take a deep breath before charging forward. "Get out of my house!" I shout, holding the bat above my head.

A carton of eggs are dropped on the ground. "Christ, Bella!" Charlie gasps, eyes wide with shock.

My brow furrows in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"I bought you some groceries." He chimes, his lips pulling back into a smile.

Rolling my eyes, I sigh heavily. "Wait. How did you get in?"

"I got a set of keys cut." He states nonchalantly, like it's no big deal.

Because yeah, let's breach Bella's privacy and almost give her a heart attack by invading her home.

My gaze moves between Charlie and the keys on the kitchen island. "You what?" I demand.

"I thought I could just pop in and drop it all off when you're not home." He remarks with a shrug, beginning to unpack the groceries.

"But I am home." I respond.

"Well, I didn't know that," he explains, packing things away in my pantry and refrigerator. "Your car isn't here."

"Because it's getting serviced," I say slowly, frustration bubbling inside me. "Oh my God. Stop!" I exclaim, snatching the bag of pasta out of Charlie's hands.

"W-what?" he stammers, his brows lifting in surprise.

"You need to stop this!"

"Stop what?" He asks bewildered.

"You can't keep making excuses to come around." I mutter, pinching my eyes shut.

"I don't make up excuses."

"Oh really?" I quirk my brow, looking at him pointedly. "Dropping off groceries, popping in with dinner or presents for the baby."

"I'm just trying to-"

"I know you're trying to help, Dad, and you have," I mumble, moving to stand in front of him. "But you got keys cut to my house. That's out of line."

"I just worry about you here all alone, honey," he mutters, shifting his weight.

"I know, but I need my space." I take his hand in mine and squeeze lightly. "You're all just making it worse by suffocating me."

"You feel like we're suffocating you?" He groans, cupping my cheek in his palm.

I pull in a deep breath as my eyes slide shut. "Sometimes."

"I'm sorry, Bells." He whispers, pulling me into his arms.

I wrap my arms around his waist and hold onto him tightly, nuzzling my cheek against his chest like i always did when i was a little girl. The sound of his strong heart beating against my ears.

Charlie must have relayed our conversation to everyone else because I'm finally given some space and left to my own devices. It's hard being alone sometimes, but I'd rather feel the pain than be so occupied by everyone's distractions, to the point I feel nothing at all.

-x-

Lizzie face-times me when she arrives at the medical unit Edward is in. I don't bother trying to stop the tears from free-falling down my face when she turns the camera on him. I haven't seen any full body shots of him; only the close up photos of his face that Emmett has sent me, deliberately trying to conceal the condition he's in.

I hear Lizzies choppy breaths as she sobs by her sons bedside and I realize this is the first time I've seen her cry over what's happened. She's always held herself together for my sake; letting her emotions go only when she's behind closed doors. In the corner of the camera I can see Edwards hand wrapped up tightly in hers.

The five years I've spent with Edward flash through my mind like a movie projector, my memories of him, of us together, haunting my every thought. It hurts, but the pain is what keeps my heart beating.

I don't want to miss another moment to tell him how much I need him and how he makes me feel. All the things I should've said to him, all the things I should've done, but didn't, run through my mind every single day.

It kills me that I can't be there with him, but in this moment I'm so glad she can.

-x-

It's been a month since I've heard anything directly from Carlisle. I've had a few conversations with Emmett, but each time there's been no change. He tries to cheer me up by telling me he talks to Edward every day and tells him he has to hurry up and wake up if he wants to make it home in time to see Summer Rose being born. He places the phone next to Edwards ear sometimes and puts me on loud speaker so i can talk to him too. When Em did that for the first time all i could do was sob into the phone and beg Edward to wake up and come home to me.

I try to stay positive and hopeful, but fear seeps into me like venom; spreading through my veins until it reaches my mind. A poison inflicted fever licking at my skin and infecting my heart and soul with doubt.

I feel trapped. Stuck in this empty house, alone and broken.

One day I call Leah and ask her to come over; she seems surprised at first after my outburst with Charlie, but quickly jumps at the opportunity to see me.

When she arrives, she puts on the kettle and makes us a cup of tea. I give her a half smile as she hands me the mug and lowers herself beside me on the couch, tucking her legs Indian style beneath her.

"How are you?" She asks, blowing on her hot tea before taking a sip.

I shrug, smiling half-heartedly. "Not so great today."

With her eyes filled with concern she covers my hand with hers. "What's up?"

I exhale a shaky breath and lean back against the pillows, mimicking her position. "Everything's just sort of hit me all at once this week."

"How do you mean?"

"I haven't heard from Carlisle in a month," I mutter, sighing heavily.

"You've spoken to Emmett though, right?" she asks, giving me a reassuring smile. "And Lizzie has come by to see you since she's been back."

"Yeah, she has. But I haven't heard from Em for a few weeks." I explain, furrowing my brows.

"But no news is usually good news, right?" She inquires softly, trying to comfort me.

"That's what they say." I sigh, smiling sadly. "I just can't help but think horrible thoughts."

"Just try not to stress," she dictates, patting my knee. "You know what your GP said."

"I know, I know." I murmur against my ceramic mug.

-x-

Leah has both hands on my stomach, talking to Summer Rose while she kicks against the palm of her hands when I see that I have a missed call. I forgot I put it on silent. I'm so stupid.

I sit up abruptly, knocking Leah over in my haste.

She sits up on her elbows, her eyes wide and brows lifting in surprise. "What the hell?" She laughs.

I gasp, my hand flying to my mouth when I see I have multiple missed calls from Carlisle and an unknown number. I unlock the screen and call him back, but he doesn't answer. I call the unknown number but no one answers that either. I alternate between each number and try again. And again. The blood draining from my face when all I get is Carlisles voicemail and all the other number does is ring out.

"Shit, Bella." Leah stammers, rushing to my side. "What's wrong?"

"I missed a call from Carlisle," I tremble, my eyes wide with fear and filling with tears. "I can't get back through to him."

"Hey, it's okay." She assures, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

Fear erupts within me like an atomic bomb and I begin to panic. "What if something happened?" I stutter, pulling in shaky breaths as i try to get the air I seek into my lungs.

"Bella, I'm sure he's fine."

"What if he's dead?!" I exclaim, swaying on the spot as i become light headed and my hands begin to shake.

"Bella, you need to calm down," Leah quakes, winding her arm around my waist. "You should sit down before-"

Liquid soaking my skirt and pooling at my feet cuts her off. "Call Rose." I whisper before lowering myself on the coffee table.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Call Rose!" I shout, covering my face in my hands.

"I'm too young for this shit," Leah mutters as she rushes out of the room with my phone.

Ten minutes later she comes back in with a backpack on her arm and the phone held up to her ear. "Yep. Okay. Got it." She responds to a very loud and panicked Rosalie on the other end before holding the phone out to me.

"Hello?"

"Bella? Oh my god. Are you okay? Have you had any contractions yet; how far apart are they?" She stammers, the pitch of her voice raising with each question.

"Yes, Yes and about twenty minutes." i respond to her questions.

"Shit, okay. Your first birth is probably going to be a fast one; get to the hospital and I'll meet you there."

I chuckle under my breath as I stand. "I figured that, genius."

"Don't get sassy with me Bella!" she squeaks before hanging up.

"I guess it's time to go then." I mutter, rolling my eyes.

"Okay," Leah picks up my bag and begins ushering me out of the house. "Okay, let's go."

-x-

Rose places a cold washcloth on my forehead. "You can get through this, Bella."

I shake my head vehemently, tears falling down my face. "I can't, I can't do it."

"Her blood pressure is rising," reports one of the midwives.

"Bella, look at me." Rose takes my chin in her hands. "Look at me." She whispers, forcing my gaze on her. "What do you want? What can I do for you to make this easier?" She asks desperately.

"Charlie," I choke out, pinching my eyes shut. "Get me Charlie."

"You heard her." She snaps at the nurse. "Go get her father."

Within five minutes Charlie bursts through the doors. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asks panicked. "The nurse called me and said 'it's Bella' then just turned right back around and walked away."

"I told you to get her dad, not to give him a heart attack in the process." Rosalie growls at the nurse, causing her to flinch.

I let out a laugh that quickly turns into a shout of pain as another contraction rocks through my body.

"Dad," I whisper, pulling in deep breaths.

"I'm here, sweet girl." He soothes, rushing to my side. "I'm here."

"Make it stop." I cry, grasping his hand tightly. "Please make the pain stop."

"Just breathe, honey." He whispers, kissing my knuckles lightly. "You're doing so well."

"I need him," I choke, my body shaking with sobs. "I can't do this without him, daddy."

"Oh, baby." Charlie whispers, cupping my cheek in his hand and turning my face to look at him. "You can do this. Do it for him, Bells."

Pinching my eyes shut, i suck in shaky breaths as I choke back my cries. I sit up and hold onto my knees; I let out a shrill scream as I begin to push, tears falling freely down my face.

I'm on my second hour of torture when there's banging on the delivery door. There are hushed tones, then shouting Before Seth barges into the room.

"What are you doing, Son?" Charlie's asks.

"You can't be in here!" The nurse fumes through clenched teeth.

"This can't wait, she needs to know now!" Seth shouts back, brushing past the nurse and walking over to me.

"She needs to know what?" Rose asks coldly.

Seth glares at Rosalie before looking back at me, his eyes softening. "It's Edward."

"What?" I gasp, my eyes widening with surprise.

"He woke up a few days ago. Apparently they've been having difficulties with the reception because of the satellite."

"What? I don't," I shake my head in disbelief and confusion. "I don't understand."

"Yeah, yeah. Hold on, man." Seth says into the phone. "It's Edward. He's on the phone."

I hear: "Put my wife on the phone!" and Seth chuckles, extending his hand out to me.

"Edward?" I ask cautiously, my teeth digging into my bottom lip.

"Bella," he whispers tenderly, his voice filled with relief.

"You- you're okay?" I sob into the phone.

"I'm okay." He assures, his voice filled with affection.

Tears of relief run down my face. "I thought I was going to lose you." I tremble hysterically.

"Never." He responds fiercely. "How are you doing, baby? I hear you're in the middle of something."

I burst into laughter, receiving strange looks from everyone in the room. "I am."

Laughter while in labor has to be the work of Satan himself because every time I've chuckled, a round of contractions have hit me so harshly I can barely breathe from the pain.

Edwards voice is laced with concern. "Are you okay?"

I ride out the contraction, sucking in deep breath as my antenatal classes explained; i let out a piercing scream as I push.

"The head is through," the nurse announces, her gaze landing on mine. "One more push Bella and you're done."

"It hurts." I whine, almost dropping the phone. Rose takes it from me and holds it up to my ear.

"You're almost done, Bella. You can do this." Edward encourages over the phone.

I take a deep breath and lean forward again, clutching onto the front of my legs now that both my hands are free. Edward chants, "I love you" over and over again as I push one last time.

Edward's cries of joy echo in my ear as Summer's cries fill the room.

The doctor hands Summer Rose off to the nurse who immediately starts to rub her down with a towel. The nurse weighs her, performs the APGAR test and then does her first initial checkup, all while I'm going through the process of delivering the placenta. By the time I get cleaned up, Summer is wrapped up in a blanket and placed on my chest. I wince when she tries to latch on a few times before she finally gets the hang of it and begins to feed. I let out a sob of pure joy as I cradle her in my arms, brushing my fingers against the soft skin of her cheek and pressing my lips lightly to her forehead.

I hear the click of the camera phone. "Glad you're okay, Ed. Check your inbox." Rose says before placing the phone next to my ear again.

I hear Edward suck in a breath before he chokes out a sob. "She's beautiful; you're both beautiful," He whispers, his voice breaking. "I love you."

"I love you so much." I sob, my mouth lifting up into a teary, relief-filled smile.

Summer sleeps soundly against my chest, her tiny hand clasping my index finger in a tight grip.

Sighing, I close my eyes; feeling at peace with my baby girl finally in my arms and the sound of Edward's soft breaths in my ear.

* * *

**He's okay! A nice surprise for Bella while she's in labour! :") **

**There's two more chapters to go that will be in EPOV before the Epilogue. ****Thank you all for reading and sticking with me!**

**- Nat x**


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